Socceroo says Cavallo’s lack of game time was about his choices, not sexuality

Socceroo Craig Goodwin has fired back at former Adelaide United teammate Josh Cavallo for describing the club as “homophobic”, saying he believed Cavallo’s lack of playing time was due to his own choices in prioritising commercial opportunities over his football.

Cavallo’s allegations, made via Instagram on Tuesday, that his career at the A-League club was limited “not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love” have created global headlines.

The club categorically denied Cavallo’s claims in a statement. Chief executive Nathan Kosmina also extended an olive branch to the 26-year-old in the hope they could work through any issues he might have had from his five-season stint at the South Australia club.

But the public intervention of Goodwin, Adelaide United’s captain, illustrates how Cavallo’s comments have been received by those he used to share a dressing room with – the same players Cavallo once thanked for their support when he made the decision to come out as gay in 2021.

Speaking on Adelaide radio station FiveAA, Goodwin said he was “very shocked and disappointed” by Cavallo’s post claiming that he didn’t play more regularly because of his sexuality. Goodwin said, from his perspective, the claim had no foundation.

“As someone that shared a change room with Josh, and I’ve obviously been through a lot with him ... I wasn’t there the last couple of years, but for him to obviously say what he said and kind of blanket label the whole club and change room in the way that he did is extremely disappointing from our end,” Goodwin said.

“I don’t know why he would say these things, but all I can speak is from my side and my experiences, and nothing ever happened whilst I was there, and whilst I was with Josh. We were nothing but supportive of him in all these endeavours. To say that he didn’t play because of him being gay or who he loved, I believe to be untrue.”

Echoing this masthead’s report on Tuesday about an internal suspension imposed by the club on Cavallo for travelling interstate while injured without permission, Goodwin said there were decisions Cavallo made after he came out that the captain believes were the real reason why he spent more time on the sidelines than on the pitch.

“If I look at the facts from the time of me being there and beyond … Josh unfortunately had two major injuries,” Goodwin said.

“And then from that, there are a lot of other players within the squad that, in my opinion, worked a lot harder than he did. There were, in fact, multiple occasions that Josh decided to take up outside opportunities, try to hide it from us and lie to us and miss training sessions and club commitments.

“For him to say those things, when my experience was that he directly chose outside opportunities, which would have affected the way the coaches thought about him or his opportunities … other boys were working extremely hard, spending hours on the training track, trying to get better, whilst Josh is missing these sessions to take up other opportunities. That’s his choice to make.

“But then to say that he didn’t play because of who he chooses to love rather than all of the other things that he chose … it’s disappointing that he would come out and say these things.”

Goodwin also said he was not aware of any group chats in which players “mocked” a photo of Cavallo and his partner, although he did spend a period of time away from Adelaide playing in Saudi Arabia.

Loading

“I’ve [not] lost respect for Josh. I’ve had a great relationship with Josh,” Goodwin said.

“I thought a lot of him. Obviously he was very brave in coming out the way he did. We were very accepting of him … as we try to be with absolutely every person that walks through the club at Adelaide United.

“[We have] an inclusive environment that no matter what sexual orientation you have, what religion you have, what skin colour you have, that when you come to Adelaide United, you’re a part of this club, you’re part of this family – and what matters most is the football.

“We’ve always been that way, especially more so since Josh, and obviously highlighting some of the factors around that, and the way that things can get better. For me, it’s a very disappointing scenario.”

Click here to read article