CARSON, Calif. – Sigi Schmid praised Robbie Rogers' courage after the defender announced his retirement on Tuesday.
Rogers ended his 11-year professional career after missing the entire 2017 season due to injury. Although the Galaxy head coach and the right-back had several conversations about Rogers returning for next year, the defender was ultimately unable to continue.
“I would have loved to have had the opportunity to coach him again. We had a great time together in Columbus. We had some good successes, and I think those were some of the best years that he had in the league in terms of the accolades that he received,” Schmid told LAGalaxy.com. “For our club, it’s a piece that we’re missing because he was a solid defender and one who could attack and hold the ball. We’re going to need to replace him, but at the end of the day, he needs to do what is right for him and his family.”
Schmid praised Rogers' abilities on the soccer field, but admitted that his status as the first openly gay professional athlete in a major American sport will ultimately serve as his legacy.
“He’s a fantastic role model for the community. He’s a guy who has shown that you can be successful and you can come out and say who you are and still continue to be successful. That’s something he and his family should be proud of," Schmid said. "When he did take that step, I was proud of him because it was something that you have to do. You have to tackle adversity and move forward, and when you tackle adversity, it also shows the character of the person, and I think Robbie’s got good character.”
