Adelaide United coach reveals Josh Cavallo confided in him before coming out as gay

Adelaide United coach Carl Veart says young midfielder Josh Cavallo showed “incredible courage” to come out as gay after years of struggling with self-doubt.

Cavallo, 21, became the first active male professional footballer in Australia to come out as gay on Wednesday, making a statement on social media after addressing his teammates.

Veart said Cavallo “wasn’t himself” during pre-season before confiding in the coach and his assistant Ross Aloisi who both gave their full support for him to make the announcement in his own way.

His Adelaide United teammates were “exceptional” in also throwing their arms around Cavallo, who could now lead the way for other sportsmen to come out.

“I’m a parent and all you want is for your children to be happy and express themselves … Josh can do that now,” Veart said on Wednesday.

“What he’s gone through to get to this today, it takes a toll. The biggest thing for him was feeling that doubt in how people would respond. We assured him people would be very happy for him.

“I want all my players to feel comfortable and happy being their own person, on and off the park.

“For Josh to be the best he can be and get the most out of his career, he needs the freedom to be himself and I fully support him.

“It’s something that Josh, over the last four to six weeks, has been building up to this point. I can’t be any prouder the way he has delivered this message.”

 

Veart said Cavallo, who has played 19 games for the Reds and signed a long-term deal with the club, could now be the “best person” he could be.

“We are living in 2021 and it’s a normal part of life, I believe. The stigma that has gone with it in our sport, that did make it a tough decision,” he said.

“As a coach I challenge our players to be the best they can be.

“Josh wasn’t his normal self and in conversations we had, he confided in myself and Ross and we fully supported him and made him feel comfortable to go down that path.

“I’ve been looking forward to this day since Josh told me. I am so happy for him and so proud that he could do that.

Veart’s assistant Aloisi said Cavallo had been living with “an incredible burden and unimaginable pain”.

“To see Josh today, with that weight lifted off his shoulders, it makes me proud of how brave a man he is,” Aloisi said.

Veart said Callow would be “bigger and better” on the back of his life-changing announcement.