June 22, 2026
What Should He Do? Play In World Cup Or Attend Birth Of His First Child
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RSS Feed A French journalist has been suspended for criticizing Belgian soccer star Jeremy Duko who announced he may miss a World Cup game in order to be with his wife when she gives birth to his first child. France Pierron apologized after calling childbirth a “disgusting moment where the dad is useless.” She went on to question Duko’s choice, saying his baby “will always be there.” Doku isn’t the only player having to make tough personal choices while at the World Cup: two other players had babies born during the tournament. Hear what they decided to do when they had to decide whether to play or return home.
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: It is Monday, June twenty second, twenty twenty six, right, So why in twenty twenty six would anybody be giving a man a hard time because he wants to take off work to be there for the birth of his child. The problem here in the controversy is that his workplace happens to be the World Cup right now. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. I guess it's a controversy, should it be?
00:00:31
Speaker 2: I think it's shocking that a comment was made.
00:00:35
Speaker 3: A lot of people made some comments, but a very some would argue disrespectful comment was made by a female World Cup reporter. She's French and she took issue with a Belgian player for saying, hey, if Belgium gets so far into the World Cup, I may have to go home because my wife is due in July and it's my first child and I want to be there at the birth.
00:01:07
Speaker 1: Okay, so we stop their robes and I guess you. People are very passionate about this. Someone would say, hey, you committed to the team. This is maybe even once in a lifetime for something. You're representing your country. The baby will be there later, and people are passionate there. But there's the other side to it. Are you kidding me? He wants to be there for the birth of his child and of the discussion.
00:01:30
Speaker 3: Correct, And so those are the two sides, and they are very passionate, very passionate. This French presenter, her name is Franse Perol. She was actually suspended because of those comments, because of the uproar She made them on Friday during her broadcast and it was a heated exchange there on set, and we do have the translation. She said it in French, obviously, but it was pretty interesting to see the reaction, not only from her own broadcasting company, who eventually distanced themselves from her, disavowed her comments, apologized to the public who was offended, apologized to the player she was chastising, and she too apologized. So there's been a lot of apologies, but there have been a lot of strong feelings about why in the world she had the right to say what she said in the first place.
00:02:24
Speaker 1: Well, she right, she was doing commentary, and some would even argue maybe she was being a little She knew what she was doing, poking us all, starting something a little controversial, but she gave an opinion. Now her opinion is one thing, Robes, but she was damn near disrespectful to men, women, families, anybody having a baby. She went after everybody in a way that kind of put everybody down.
00:02:52
Speaker 3: Yes, I agree, and so it's not that she had an opinion, it's it's how she said it, and just it was without any empathy, empathy, without any compassion. And I looked her up and it says she's a mom of two sons.
00:03:07
Speaker 2: So I was a little surprised because I would have.
00:03:09
Speaker 3: Thoughts when you hear the comments, if you haven't heard them already, that this would only have.
00:03:14
Speaker 2: Been something a woman could say.
00:03:16
Speaker 3: Who hasn't had a child, who hasn't been in labor, who hasn't given birth.
00:03:21
Speaker 2: No, it turns out she's a mom.
00:03:23
Speaker 1: But does it, as you've heard the comments and you're about to read here, does the flip side of that work too, That maybe only a mom and somebody who's been through child or could speak about it this way.
00:03:35
Speaker 3: Well, that is a good point, she felt, it seems, especially when you. I couldn't obviously hear what she was saying as she was saying it, because I don't know French, but she was saying it very confidently and very passionately.
00:03:47
Speaker 2: So, yes, I see what you're saying.
00:03:49
Speaker 3: She probably only felt comfortable doing that because she had already she felt like she had streecret. She is a mom, she's a woman. She can say these things. A man certainly could not have said that. A man would have been fired on this spot.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: Possibly if he had said that.
00:04:04
Speaker 3: Yes, possibly, So she probably felt like she had the right to say it because she's been.
00:04:10
Speaker 2: There, done That makes sense.
00:04:12
Speaker 1: But yes, a man could never say what she said.
00:04:15
Speaker 3: Yes, and to continue, let's go ahead and get her comments out. Look, and there are a lot of different translations, but I did try to find the most consistent way in English.
00:04:26
Speaker 2: That she said what she said.
00:04:27
Speaker 3: So she described childbirth as a quote disgusting moment excuse me, where a dad is useless. You have to realize that it's truly a privilege to participate in a World Cup. It's an incredible joy. There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your place. It might never happen again in your life. It is truly a special moment, a childhood dream come true. And you're gonna leave all that to be present for the birth of your child.
00:04:54
Speaker 2: I'm sorry. The father serves no purpose. He is an extra.
00:04:58
Speaker 3: He just holds your hand and takes a Yo, you're gonna take a ten hour flight, exhaust yourself, go through the ringer emotionally. How can you return to play after that? The baby will always be there. Then, she said, some people may have gone into debt just to get to the World Cup, maybe sacrificed everything to be there, And you're leaving to cut an umbilical cord.
00:05:21
Speaker 1: Woo, she went too far. She can't express opinion, and some will have the opinion that. Wow. I don't think it's the right move for him to leave for these reasons she got. It almost sounded like if a stand up comic had said this, we wouldn't think anything of it, because that is what they do, she was saying. She seemed like she might have been cracking Joe. I don't know if she actually means the stuff she's saying, but it's it's incredibly she said some incredibly offensive stuff.
00:05:52
Speaker 2: Oh to men, to dad, it's like you're you're not needed.
00:05:56
Speaker 1: You're no purpose. Says no purpose for you being there. Obviously, any that's just not true. We don't have to defac I we shouldn't argue about that.
00:06:04
Speaker 3: Is she belittled the experience of a father in a delivery room, and not only what it means to him as a father, but what it means to his wife to have him by her side. And yes, he isn't just holding her hand and cutting the umbilical cord. He is there as her support system. And witnessing your child being born is I think an incredible privilege that shouldn't just be cast aside because the baby will always be there. And by the way, you don't know what's going to happen in that delivery room. I had a very scary delivery. It's not just a given that it's going to go smoothly. And he doesn't need to be there for a number of reasons to help his wife make decisions. Sometimes you get faced with really tough last minute life or death situations where you need your husband there, You need the father of that baby there, like there are a lot of reasons why men should and women i'm sure want their husband's there. And it's beyond just what she flippantly described their experience at flippant.
00:07:08
Speaker 1: Is the right word, And look, she's disrespectful or putting down men, but also dismissive of families. A family unit is relationships, what hell marriage is? I mean, she's dismissive of everything in what she said, and maybe she didn't really mean, but she has some legitimate points that I'm willing to listen to, and that's okay for people to disagree with what he did roads a decent way.
00:07:33
Speaker 2: Another way to go.
00:07:33
Speaker 1: About this she could have said, I hate he's in this position that he might have to make a decision like that, because I know how much both of these things must mean to him. I'd hate to be in his position.
00:07:48
Speaker 2: That's it, exactly, exactly.
00:07:50
Speaker 3: And it's so interesting because even her apology on X over the weekend, so she eventually apologized the following day, But have you seen it?
00:08:00
Speaker 2: It's she says.
00:08:03
Speaker 3: In light of the very numerous reactions following my comments regarding Belgian footballer Jeremy Doku, I wish to.
00:08:11
Speaker 2: Provide a few clarifications.
00:08:14
Speaker 3: In it, I expressed a personal opinion within the framework of a debate. In it, I was expressing Sorry. Yes, I was expressing a personal opinion within the context of a contentious exchange. These remarks commit only me and in no way reflect a collective position. I understand that they may have shocked, hurt, or wounded some of you, and I am sorry for that. My intention has never been to minimize the place or role of fathers with their partner and their child.
00:08:44
Speaker 2: If that wasn't her intention, I don't know why she chose.
00:08:47
Speaker 3: The word she did, because that is exactly what she did.
00:08:50
Speaker 1: She messed up in a moment and she said something she shouldn't have said. Then she probably knows that now robes, but I mean, it is a part of a debate. It's just I hate for folks to be You can have an opinion about things, right, an opinion about what somebody does that doesn't lead to a judgment of who they are, right, And she just went too far there with this kid agreed and old he's take.
00:09:15
Speaker 3: I don't know how old he is, but I know she is in her mid forties, so obviously he's younger than that. But I also thought it was interesting because before she made those comments, one of Doku's former youth coaches said something similar, and I wonder if she saw it and read it, and it kind of is very close. If it sparked something in her, and she thought, you know what, I agree, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go with that line of thinking. So his own youth coach when when the announcement was made that he may leave if the birth coincides with a game, and his own coach said, when you go to the World Cup, it's a choice. It might sound a bit harsh, but if you're there, it's because you have chosen to play. The baby will still be there afterwards that she said something very similar in her remarks, the.
00:10:06
Speaker 1: Baby will be there. And to be honest, ro this debate pops up every now and again in professional sports, has happened here in the US plenty, but that line seems to be consistent actually, or the suggestion of the idea that why miss this important playoff game or this championship? The baby ain't going nowhere, Like that's the like being there for the moment is like, what's the big deal? And maybe I don't know it's the idea or just how we view men and women, mothers and fathers as what they provide in the family and what we're supposed to be sensitive about. A guy isn't supposed to be sensitive about or sentimental about things like that, he's got a game, it's all right. He was on the grid, he was at Super Bowl. Couldn't be there for that kind of stuff, And she's playing into that foolishness.
00:10:55
Speaker 2: Yes, exactly.
00:10:56
Speaker 3: And look, it's so interesting because you asked me, you said, wa, wait, have you even seen anywhere specifically where.
00:11:05
Speaker 2: Excuse me where Doku?
00:11:07
Speaker 3: Jeremy Dokou actually said for sure that he was going to leave, and I said, actually no, he left it open ended. He was just suggesting he was at a press conference, and he specifically said, it depends on when it happens. But it's my first child, so I would definitely want to be there. If you ask me what I want, my answer is that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child. But I also know that football involves many other considerations. I know that federation supports its players and understands their situations.
00:11:36
Speaker 2: We'll see what we can do.
00:11:38
Speaker 3: So he wasn't saying no matter what, I'm not going to play, but he did want to put people on notice, I might miss a game if my child is born and I have to choose.
00:11:52
Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure his team he's talked this out with his team. They know exactly what he's going to do. They know, they know his partner, know they're excited about the baby themselves. They're all planning to step up, maybe play a little harder if they have to, if their boy has the miss a game.
00:12:07
Speaker 2: Yes, exactly so, which is how it should be, I agreed.
00:12:11
Speaker 3: And so it's really been interesting to read some of the very strong reaction to her comments into the situation in general. So when we come back, I'm going to read you some of my favorite comments that I think they made really really good points and also let you all know.
00:12:27
Speaker 2: Guess what, there were.
00:12:29
Speaker 3: Two other players at this very World Cup who have been in the exact same situation. Welcome back everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ. We are talking about a French reporter who has been suspended from covering the World Cup after she made comments about a Belgium player and a Manchester City star, Jerem Doku, who suggested that if his child, if his wife goes into labor with his first child while Belgium is still playing, he may miss a game, fly back to England to be there and to be present for the birth of his first child. She made some comments basically that completely minimize the role of a father in a delivery room and suggested that he should make a different choice, and absolutely said, point blank, the father serves no purpose. He is an extra ending with the baby will always be there.
00:13:34
Speaker 1: You know, again, if a comedian said that on stage, I laugh loud. I would, I would be funny. That's not how she meant.
00:13:42
Speaker 3: No, she did not, And the reaction was pretty brutal, especially what we know X is a fairly brutal place. But I thought some people made some points. I heard what you said. Some people very much echoed your reaction to this. I thought this was one of my favorites. You didn't just deliver a personal opinion denigrated a choice.
00:14:01
Speaker 2: And that's where it differs.
00:14:03
Speaker 3: Your tone, deliberately aggressive aligns with televisual habits that backfire on those who use them. This time it's you.
00:14:13
Speaker 1: That is exactly right. Yes, that is the point wheregues. You can have a debate about it. I wish he wouldn't do that, or I think he should do this, But you delve into making a judgment about a person based on a decision thing, right.
00:14:28
Speaker 3: That's not okay, that's not okay, And someone asked, yeah, exactly, took issue with her apology when she said, my intention was never to minimize the place or role of a father.
00:14:37
Speaker 2: Okay, so someone wrote.
00:14:40
Speaker 3: Yet, that's exactly what you did, and it saddens me because I usually love your naturalness on screen.
00:14:46
Speaker 2: So this is a fan of hers.
00:14:48
Speaker 3: The birth of his child is worth all the soccer matches in the world. There's no debate to be had about that.
00:14:56
Speaker 1: Okay, I buy that. But if someone also said, it's like, should we also criticize him with that? Should they be strong criticism if he decides, if he says, you know what, I'm going to miss the birth because we're in the is he going to get criticism for that?
00:15:11
Speaker 2: He would?
00:15:12
Speaker 1: I mean, so what's a guy to do? Just and it shouldn't be an impossible position. This isn't a big deal. I really don't find this to be a big deal. A dad wants to be there for the birth of his child. Okay, yeah, well, there's nothing else. What is he busy doing. Whatever he's busy doing, there's nothing more important than that. If you can, you can make the argument that the World Cup is more important than the birth of his first child.
00:15:37
Speaker 2: Exactly.
00:15:38
Speaker 3: And it's so funny you have been saying some things that people have echoed exactly. There was an editorial that was published this week and I'm going to read it for you because it literally is what you just said. If Jeremy Doku has to rush off to the maternity ward in the middle of the World Cup, there are only two things to say to him. Congratulations and have a safe flight.
00:15:56
Speaker 1: Yeah right period. Throw in will win this one for you.
00:16:02
Speaker 2: Exactly exactly you.
00:16:03
Speaker 1: Said, Bro. This happened to Anthony Edwards in twenty twenty four of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He literally left at halftime of a game to be there for the birth of his child.
00:16:13
Speaker 2: And you know what, he left at halftime as a wife, as a mother.
00:16:17
Speaker 3: I think anyone out there would say, that's a good man, that's a good man.
00:16:22
Speaker 1: Okay, it wasn't Game seven of the Finals. Would that make a difference.
00:16:26
Speaker 2: Look, I just think it's a personal decision. That's it, and that's it.
00:16:29
Speaker 3: And look, if your team wants to say something, if your coach wants to say something, if the owners of your team wants to say something, then that's who should be saying something. But I don't think a TV presenter should be saying something.
00:16:43
Speaker 1: Express an opinion, fine, not a judgment of the guy. That's all we're not taking away. And again she has a legitimate logic in her opinions, but ro she put the guy down, She put all dads down, Like, how dare you? It's a judgment of him. He's a twenty four year old twenty four okay, black kids from Belgium.
00:17:05
Speaker 2: And he and you know what, I like what you said.
00:17:07
Speaker 3: She went beyond just pointing the finger at him and judging him.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: She judged all dad, oh, y'all, everybody. Yeah.
00:17:16
Speaker 3: In fact, I was going to read this one, well, that's still a hell of a load of vomited shit in just a few seconds. Lack of empathy, humanity, and that's just for starters. Keep talking about sports, but for pity's sake, avoid overthinking the important stuff or even the unimportant, because I get the feeling you're a bit limited on that front. I mean, people went personal towards her, but I look, people called her on it a disgusting moment where the man is utterly.
00:17:41
Speaker 2: Useless, But hold up, you didn't want to downplay the father's role. LMAO. I mean, she.
00:17:46
Speaker 3: Can't say what she said and then say I would never intended on diminishing a man's role. That of course she did. That's exactly what she did. That's exactly what she said. So is she changing her opinion? Does she think differently now that she's gotten called out?
00:18:05
Speaker 2: I don't know.
00:18:06
Speaker 3: But listen, there were two other players by this World Cup in twenty twenty six. So Kucho Hernandez of Colombia. His second son was born on June first. While he was representing Colombia. He shared that he had not been able to yet personally meet his newborn, but he dedicated his performance to his growing family. So he he hasn't met his son yet. He missed the birth, and he's like, hey, I'm dedicating my playing to you.
00:18:35
Speaker 2: It was the second son. I don't know. Does that help? Does that make it any better?
00:18:40
Speaker 3: The son knows that his father dedicated his matches to him.
00:18:43
Speaker 1: But here's the thing, babe, if he's okay with it, his team is okay with it, his family's okay with it. The woman who was giving birth is okay with it. I exactly got nothing to say.
00:18:53
Speaker 2: Exactly Now, how about this? This one was interesting to me.
00:18:56
Speaker 3: So the other player who had a child born during this World Cup and he missed it. South Korea's goalkeeper, Kim Song Yo. You're the goalkeeper, that's kind of an important job.
00:19:08
Speaker 1: Yeah, he missed what the birth.
00:19:11
Speaker 2: Didn't Oh, he missed the birth.
00:19:12
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:19:12
Speaker 3: So he was in Mexico when his first child was born last week, and he did put this at well.
00:19:18
Speaker 2: He said this at a press conference because everyone knew.
00:19:20
Speaker 3: He said, I deeply regret not being able to be with my wife during the delivery. I want to bring a good result home from here. I told her while she was still in the womb not to look like me. Apparently she listened. I think it's a real blessing that her face is perfect and a beautiful mix of my features and my wife.
00:19:38
Speaker 2: So he made a little joke, softened the blow.
00:19:41
Speaker 3: But look, they had put out a bunch of pictures of him kissing the belly before he in his soccer thing before he left.
00:19:47
Speaker 2: Clearly his wife was okay with it, yes, and so he missed the birth, and.
00:19:53
Speaker 1: So she's okay with it. What am I supposed to say?
00:19:56
Speaker 2: Exactly right?
00:19:56
Speaker 1: And what would you do? What would you want me to do? Does it matter what game it is? If it's just in the middle of the season game or if it's in Game six of the Eastern Conference Finals, doesn't matter, if it's a super Bowl? Does it matter if it's the playoffs?
00:20:10
Speaker 2: Is it? Yeah? It might matter. And I do think it also would matter what your role.
00:20:14
Speaker 3: Was with the team, if you were completely going to be letting the team down by missing a game and potentially ending a chance at a victory or at least a never before bracket or whatever your entire country can get into, and it's hinging. It's like you're an integral part to it. Look, I think any woman who loved her husband would obviously take that into consideration.
00:20:39
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's true. And what if I'm the backup kicker.
00:20:46
Speaker 2: I think that's a different story.
00:20:47
Speaker 1: Okay, idea. If I'm the starting wide out, that's different.
00:20:51
Speaker 2: I don't know what that means.
00:20:52
Speaker 1: Receiver, Oh speaking, how about this for a woman Van Jefferson is his name, twenty twenty two, who's playing for the Rams, wife pregnant. He's playing at the Super Bowl they end up winning. He doesn't know that while he's playing that game, his wife in the stadium goes into labor, goes to the hospital. Wow, She insists they not tell him and let him play that game. Focused.
00:21:19
Speaker 2: She knew him, She knew that crazy, she knew what he was supposed to do.
00:21:26
Speaker 3: And look, my only concern would be if I made that choice and you're that you'd be mad that you'd be mad that I didn't tell you that, you'd be mad that you didn't.
00:21:34
Speaker 2: Get to choose.
00:21:34
Speaker 1: Why didn't you pull me out of the super Bowl that we ended up winning.
00:21:38
Speaker 2: Nah?
00:21:38
Speaker 1: Okay, no, no, no, that's exactly she's a real one. That's what I'm saying.
00:21:41
Speaker 2: That's a fun story too.
00:21:43
Speaker 3: I actually think you tell your kid, Hey, yes, your dad couldn't be at the berth at your birth. But here's why. That's kind of a cool story. And look, they have the pictures of these two men facetiming with their wives. I mean they were there looking at the birth through a screen. It's not the same, but it is a cool story to tell your kid. I would have no problem with it. But you know what, maybe his wife is fine with it too. Maybe he just really wants to be there. Maybe it's not his wife at all. It didn't sound like it was.
00:22:11
Speaker 1: They better win that game though. Can you imagine missing the birth and losing?
00:22:18
Speaker 2: That would not be ideal.
00:22:20
Speaker 3: But anyway, just an interesting story things you don't think about.
00:22:23
Speaker 2: But yes, World.
00:22:24
Speaker 3: Cup soccer players are people too, and you know, like soon to be new dads, and there's all sorts of life events that are going on. There's a lot of sacrifice that happens to get to this level and people make different choices. Some people don't like those choices, and then they get suspected and with that everyone, we appreciate you listening to us. I'm Aye Robock alongside TJ.
00:22:46
Speaker 2: Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 1: It is Monday, June twenty second, twenty twenty six, right, So why in twenty twenty six would anybody be giving a man a hard time because he wants to take off work to be there for the birth of his child. The problem here in the controversy is that his workplace happens to be the World Cup right now. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. I guess it's a controversy, should it be?
00:00:31
Speaker 2: I think it's shocking that a comment was made.
00:00:35
Speaker 3: A lot of people made some comments, but a very some would argue disrespectful comment was made by a female World Cup reporter. She's French and she took issue with a Belgian player for saying, hey, if Belgium gets so far into the World Cup, I may have to go home because my wife is due in July and it's my first child and I want to be there at the birth.
00:01:07
Speaker 1: Okay, so we stop their robes and I guess you. People are very passionate about this. Someone would say, hey, you committed to the team. This is maybe even once in a lifetime for something. You're representing your country. The baby will be there later, and people are passionate there. But there's the other side to it. Are you kidding me? He wants to be there for the birth of his child and of the discussion.
00:01:30
Speaker 3: Correct, And so those are the two sides, and they are very passionate, very passionate. This French presenter, her name is Franse Perol. She was actually suspended because of those comments, because of the uproar She made them on Friday during her broadcast and it was a heated exchange there on set, and we do have the translation. She said it in French, obviously, but it was pretty interesting to see the reaction, not only from her own broadcasting company, who eventually distanced themselves from her, disavowed her comments, apologized to the public who was offended, apologized to the player she was chastising, and she too apologized. So there's been a lot of apologies, but there have been a lot of strong feelings about why in the world she had the right to say what she said in the first place.
00:02:24
Speaker 1: Well, she right, she was doing commentary, and some would even argue maybe she was being a little She knew what she was doing, poking us all, starting something a little controversial, but she gave an opinion. Now her opinion is one thing, Robes, but she was damn near disrespectful to men, women, families, anybody having a baby. She went after everybody in a way that kind of put everybody down.
00:02:52
Speaker 3: Yes, I agree, and so it's not that she had an opinion, it's it's how she said it, and just it was without any empathy, empathy, without any compassion. And I looked her up and it says she's a mom of two sons.
00:03:07
Speaker 2: So I was a little surprised because I would have.
00:03:09
Speaker 3: Thoughts when you hear the comments, if you haven't heard them already, that this would only have.
00:03:14
Speaker 2: Been something a woman could say.
00:03:16
Speaker 3: Who hasn't had a child, who hasn't been in labor, who hasn't given birth.
00:03:21
Speaker 2: No, it turns out she's a mom.
00:03:23
Speaker 1: But does it, as you've heard the comments and you're about to read here, does the flip side of that work too, That maybe only a mom and somebody who's been through child or could speak about it this way.
00:03:35
Speaker 3: Well, that is a good point, she felt, it seems, especially when you. I couldn't obviously hear what she was saying as she was saying it, because I don't know French, but she was saying it very confidently and very passionately.
00:03:47
Speaker 2: So, yes, I see what you're saying.
00:03:49
Speaker 3: She probably only felt comfortable doing that because she had already she felt like she had streecret. She is a mom, she's a woman. She can say these things. A man certainly could not have said that. A man would have been fired on this spot.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: Possibly if he had said that.
00:04:04
Speaker 3: Yes, possibly, So she probably felt like she had the right to say it because she's been.
00:04:10
Speaker 2: There, done That makes sense.
00:04:12
Speaker 1: But yes, a man could never say what she said.
00:04:15
Speaker 3: Yes, and to continue, let's go ahead and get her comments out. Look, and there are a lot of different translations, but I did try to find the most consistent way in English.
00:04:26
Speaker 2: That she said what she said.
00:04:27
Speaker 3: So she described childbirth as a quote disgusting moment excuse me, where a dad is useless. You have to realize that it's truly a privilege to participate in a World Cup. It's an incredible joy. There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your place. It might never happen again in your life. It is truly a special moment, a childhood dream come true. And you're gonna leave all that to be present for the birth of your child.
00:04:54
Speaker 2: I'm sorry. The father serves no purpose. He is an extra.
00:04:58
Speaker 3: He just holds your hand and takes a Yo, you're gonna take a ten hour flight, exhaust yourself, go through the ringer emotionally. How can you return to play after that? The baby will always be there. Then, she said, some people may have gone into debt just to get to the World Cup, maybe sacrificed everything to be there, And you're leaving to cut an umbilical cord.
00:05:21
Speaker 1: Woo, she went too far. She can't express opinion, and some will have the opinion that. Wow. I don't think it's the right move for him to leave for these reasons she got. It almost sounded like if a stand up comic had said this, we wouldn't think anything of it, because that is what they do, she was saying. She seemed like she might have been cracking Joe. I don't know if she actually means the stuff she's saying, but it's it's incredibly she said some incredibly offensive stuff.
00:05:52
Speaker 2: Oh to men, to dad, it's like you're you're not needed.
00:05:56
Speaker 1: You're no purpose. Says no purpose for you being there. Obviously, any that's just not true. We don't have to defac I we shouldn't argue about that.
00:06:04
Speaker 3: Is she belittled the experience of a father in a delivery room, and not only what it means to him as a father, but what it means to his wife to have him by her side. And yes, he isn't just holding her hand and cutting the umbilical cord. He is there as her support system. And witnessing your child being born is I think an incredible privilege that shouldn't just be cast aside because the baby will always be there. And by the way, you don't know what's going to happen in that delivery room. I had a very scary delivery. It's not just a given that it's going to go smoothly. And he doesn't need to be there for a number of reasons to help his wife make decisions. Sometimes you get faced with really tough last minute life or death situations where you need your husband there, You need the father of that baby there, like there are a lot of reasons why men should and women i'm sure want their husband's there. And it's beyond just what she flippantly described their experience at flippant.
00:07:08
Speaker 1: Is the right word, And look, she's disrespectful or putting down men, but also dismissive of families. A family unit is relationships, what hell marriage is? I mean, she's dismissive of everything in what she said, and maybe she didn't really mean, but she has some legitimate points that I'm willing to listen to, and that's okay for people to disagree with what he did roads a decent way.
00:07:33
Speaker 2: Another way to go.
00:07:33
Speaker 1: About this she could have said, I hate he's in this position that he might have to make a decision like that, because I know how much both of these things must mean to him. I'd hate to be in his position.
00:07:48
Speaker 2: That's it, exactly, exactly.
00:07:50
Speaker 3: And it's so interesting because even her apology on X over the weekend, so she eventually apologized the following day, But have you seen it?
00:08:00
Speaker 2: It's she says.
00:08:03
Speaker 3: In light of the very numerous reactions following my comments regarding Belgian footballer Jeremy Doku, I wish to.
00:08:11
Speaker 2: Provide a few clarifications.
00:08:14
Speaker 3: In it, I expressed a personal opinion within the framework of a debate. In it, I was expressing Sorry. Yes, I was expressing a personal opinion within the context of a contentious exchange. These remarks commit only me and in no way reflect a collective position. I understand that they may have shocked, hurt, or wounded some of you, and I am sorry for that. My intention has never been to minimize the place or role of fathers with their partner and their child.
00:08:44
Speaker 2: If that wasn't her intention, I don't know why she chose.
00:08:47
Speaker 3: The word she did, because that is exactly what she did.
00:08:50
Speaker 1: She messed up in a moment and she said something she shouldn't have said. Then she probably knows that now robes, but I mean, it is a part of a debate. It's just I hate for folks to be You can have an opinion about things, right, an opinion about what somebody does that doesn't lead to a judgment of who they are, right, And she just went too far there with this kid agreed and old he's take.
00:09:15
Speaker 3: I don't know how old he is, but I know she is in her mid forties, so obviously he's younger than that. But I also thought it was interesting because before she made those comments, one of Doku's former youth coaches said something similar, and I wonder if she saw it and read it, and it kind of is very close. If it sparked something in her, and she thought, you know what, I agree, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go with that line of thinking. So his own youth coach when when the announcement was made that he may leave if the birth coincides with a game, and his own coach said, when you go to the World Cup, it's a choice. It might sound a bit harsh, but if you're there, it's because you have chosen to play. The baby will still be there afterwards that she said something very similar in her remarks, the.
00:10:06
Speaker 1: Baby will be there. And to be honest, ro this debate pops up every now and again in professional sports, has happened here in the US plenty, but that line seems to be consistent actually, or the suggestion of the idea that why miss this important playoff game or this championship? The baby ain't going nowhere, Like that's the like being there for the moment is like, what's the big deal? And maybe I don't know it's the idea or just how we view men and women, mothers and fathers as what they provide in the family and what we're supposed to be sensitive about. A guy isn't supposed to be sensitive about or sentimental about things like that, he's got a game, it's all right. He was on the grid, he was at Super Bowl. Couldn't be there for that kind of stuff, And she's playing into that foolishness.
00:10:55
Speaker 2: Yes, exactly.
00:10:56
Speaker 3: And look, it's so interesting because you asked me, you said, wa, wait, have you even seen anywhere specifically where.
00:11:05
Speaker 2: Excuse me where Doku?
00:11:07
Speaker 3: Jeremy Dokou actually said for sure that he was going to leave, and I said, actually no, he left it open ended. He was just suggesting he was at a press conference, and he specifically said, it depends on when it happens. But it's my first child, so I would definitely want to be there. If you ask me what I want, my answer is that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child. But I also know that football involves many other considerations. I know that federation supports its players and understands their situations.
00:11:36
Speaker 2: We'll see what we can do.
00:11:38
Speaker 3: So he wasn't saying no matter what, I'm not going to play, but he did want to put people on notice, I might miss a game if my child is born and I have to choose.
00:11:52
Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure his team he's talked this out with his team. They know exactly what he's going to do. They know, they know his partner, know they're excited about the baby themselves. They're all planning to step up, maybe play a little harder if they have to, if their boy has the miss a game.
00:12:07
Speaker 2: Yes, exactly so, which is how it should be, I agreed.
00:12:11
Speaker 3: And so it's really been interesting to read some of the very strong reaction to her comments into the situation in general. So when we come back, I'm going to read you some of my favorite comments that I think they made really really good points and also let you all know.
00:12:27
Speaker 2: Guess what, there were.
00:12:29
Speaker 3: Two other players at this very World Cup who have been in the exact same situation. Welcome back everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ. We are talking about a French reporter who has been suspended from covering the World Cup after she made comments about a Belgium player and a Manchester City star, Jerem Doku, who suggested that if his child, if his wife goes into labor with his first child while Belgium is still playing, he may miss a game, fly back to England to be there and to be present for the birth of his first child. She made some comments basically that completely minimize the role of a father in a delivery room and suggested that he should make a different choice, and absolutely said, point blank, the father serves no purpose. He is an extra ending with the baby will always be there.
00:13:34
Speaker 1: You know, again, if a comedian said that on stage, I laugh loud. I would, I would be funny. That's not how she meant.
00:13:42
Speaker 3: No, she did not, And the reaction was pretty brutal, especially what we know X is a fairly brutal place. But I thought some people made some points. I heard what you said. Some people very much echoed your reaction to this. I thought this was one of my favorites. You didn't just deliver a personal opinion denigrated a choice.
00:14:01
Speaker 2: And that's where it differs.
00:14:03
Speaker 3: Your tone, deliberately aggressive aligns with televisual habits that backfire on those who use them. This time it's you.
00:14:13
Speaker 1: That is exactly right. Yes, that is the point wheregues. You can have a debate about it. I wish he wouldn't do that, or I think he should do this, But you delve into making a judgment about a person based on a decision thing, right.
00:14:28
Speaker 3: That's not okay, that's not okay, And someone asked, yeah, exactly, took issue with her apology when she said, my intention was never to minimize the place or role of a father.
00:14:37
Speaker 2: Okay, so someone wrote.
00:14:40
Speaker 3: Yet, that's exactly what you did, and it saddens me because I usually love your naturalness on screen.
00:14:46
Speaker 2: So this is a fan of hers.
00:14:48
Speaker 3: The birth of his child is worth all the soccer matches in the world. There's no debate to be had about that.
00:14:56
Speaker 1: Okay, I buy that. But if someone also said, it's like, should we also criticize him with that? Should they be strong criticism if he decides, if he says, you know what, I'm going to miss the birth because we're in the is he going to get criticism for that?
00:15:11
Speaker 2: He would?
00:15:12
Speaker 1: I mean, so what's a guy to do? Just and it shouldn't be an impossible position. This isn't a big deal. I really don't find this to be a big deal. A dad wants to be there for the birth of his child. Okay, yeah, well, there's nothing else. What is he busy doing. Whatever he's busy doing, there's nothing more important than that. If you can, you can make the argument that the World Cup is more important than the birth of his first child.
00:15:37
Speaker 2: Exactly.
00:15:38
Speaker 3: And it's so funny you have been saying some things that people have echoed exactly. There was an editorial that was published this week and I'm going to read it for you because it literally is what you just said. If Jeremy Doku has to rush off to the maternity ward in the middle of the World Cup, there are only two things to say to him. Congratulations and have a safe flight.
00:15:56
Speaker 1: Yeah right period. Throw in will win this one for you.
00:16:02
Speaker 2: Exactly exactly you.
00:16:03
Speaker 1: Said, Bro. This happened to Anthony Edwards in twenty twenty four of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He literally left at halftime of a game to be there for the birth of his child.
00:16:13
Speaker 2: And you know what, he left at halftime as a wife, as a mother.
00:16:17
Speaker 3: I think anyone out there would say, that's a good man, that's a good man.
00:16:22
Speaker 1: Okay, it wasn't Game seven of the Finals. Would that make a difference.
00:16:26
Speaker 2: Look, I just think it's a personal decision. That's it, and that's it.
00:16:29
Speaker 3: And look, if your team wants to say something, if your coach wants to say something, if the owners of your team wants to say something, then that's who should be saying something. But I don't think a TV presenter should be saying something.
00:16:43
Speaker 1: Express an opinion, fine, not a judgment of the guy. That's all we're not taking away. And again she has a legitimate logic in her opinions, but ro she put the guy down, She put all dads down, Like, how dare you? It's a judgment of him. He's a twenty four year old twenty four okay, black kids from Belgium.
00:17:05
Speaker 2: And he and you know what, I like what you said.
00:17:07
Speaker 3: She went beyond just pointing the finger at him and judging him.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: She judged all dad, oh, y'all, everybody. Yeah.
00:17:16
Speaker 3: In fact, I was going to read this one, well, that's still a hell of a load of vomited shit in just a few seconds. Lack of empathy, humanity, and that's just for starters. Keep talking about sports, but for pity's sake, avoid overthinking the important stuff or even the unimportant, because I get the feeling you're a bit limited on that front. I mean, people went personal towards her, but I look, people called her on it a disgusting moment where the man is utterly.
00:17:41
Speaker 2: Useless, But hold up, you didn't want to downplay the father's role. LMAO. I mean, she.
00:17:46
Speaker 3: Can't say what she said and then say I would never intended on diminishing a man's role. That of course she did. That's exactly what she did. That's exactly what she said. So is she changing her opinion? Does she think differently now that she's gotten called out?
00:18:05
Speaker 2: I don't know.
00:18:06
Speaker 3: But listen, there were two other players by this World Cup in twenty twenty six. So Kucho Hernandez of Colombia. His second son was born on June first. While he was representing Colombia. He shared that he had not been able to yet personally meet his newborn, but he dedicated his performance to his growing family. So he he hasn't met his son yet. He missed the birth, and he's like, hey, I'm dedicating my playing to you.
00:18:35
Speaker 2: It was the second son. I don't know. Does that help? Does that make it any better?
00:18:40
Speaker 3: The son knows that his father dedicated his matches to him.
00:18:43
Speaker 1: But here's the thing, babe, if he's okay with it, his team is okay with it, his family's okay with it. The woman who was giving birth is okay with it. I exactly got nothing to say.
00:18:53
Speaker 2: Exactly Now, how about this? This one was interesting to me.
00:18:56
Speaker 3: So the other player who had a child born during this World Cup and he missed it. South Korea's goalkeeper, Kim Song Yo. You're the goalkeeper, that's kind of an important job.
00:19:08
Speaker 1: Yeah, he missed what the birth.
00:19:11
Speaker 2: Didn't Oh, he missed the birth.
00:19:12
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:19:12
Speaker 3: So he was in Mexico when his first child was born last week, and he did put this at well.
00:19:18
Speaker 2: He said this at a press conference because everyone knew.
00:19:20
Speaker 3: He said, I deeply regret not being able to be with my wife during the delivery. I want to bring a good result home from here. I told her while she was still in the womb not to look like me. Apparently she listened. I think it's a real blessing that her face is perfect and a beautiful mix of my features and my wife.
00:19:38
Speaker 2: So he made a little joke, softened the blow.
00:19:41
Speaker 3: But look, they had put out a bunch of pictures of him kissing the belly before he in his soccer thing before he left.
00:19:47
Speaker 2: Clearly his wife was okay with it, yes, and so he missed the birth, and.
00:19:53
Speaker 1: So she's okay with it. What am I supposed to say?
00:19:56
Speaker 2: Exactly right?
00:19:56
Speaker 1: And what would you do? What would you want me to do? Does it matter what game it is? If it's just in the middle of the season game or if it's in Game six of the Eastern Conference Finals, doesn't matter, if it's a super Bowl? Does it matter if it's the playoffs?
00:20:10
Speaker 2: Is it? Yeah? It might matter. And I do think it also would matter what your role.
00:20:14
Speaker 3: Was with the team, if you were completely going to be letting the team down by missing a game and potentially ending a chance at a victory or at least a never before bracket or whatever your entire country can get into, and it's hinging. It's like you're an integral part to it. Look, I think any woman who loved her husband would obviously take that into consideration.
00:20:39
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's true. And what if I'm the backup kicker.
00:20:46
Speaker 2: I think that's a different story.
00:20:47
Speaker 1: Okay, idea. If I'm the starting wide out, that's different.
00:20:51
Speaker 2: I don't know what that means.
00:20:52
Speaker 1: Receiver, Oh speaking, how about this for a woman Van Jefferson is his name, twenty twenty two, who's playing for the Rams, wife pregnant. He's playing at the Super Bowl they end up winning. He doesn't know that while he's playing that game, his wife in the stadium goes into labor, goes to the hospital. Wow, She insists they not tell him and let him play that game. Focused.
00:21:19
Speaker 2: She knew him, She knew that crazy, she knew what he was supposed to do.
00:21:26
Speaker 3: And look, my only concern would be if I made that choice and you're that you'd be mad that you'd be mad that I didn't tell you that, you'd be mad that you didn't.
00:21:34
Speaker 2: Get to choose.
00:21:34
Speaker 1: Why didn't you pull me out of the super Bowl that we ended up winning.
00:21:38
Speaker 2: Nah?
00:21:38
Speaker 1: Okay, no, no, no, that's exactly she's a real one. That's what I'm saying.
00:21:41
Speaker 2: That's a fun story too.
00:21:43
Speaker 3: I actually think you tell your kid, Hey, yes, your dad couldn't be at the berth at your birth. But here's why. That's kind of a cool story. And look, they have the pictures of these two men facetiming with their wives. I mean they were there looking at the birth through a screen. It's not the same, but it is a cool story to tell your kid. I would have no problem with it. But you know what, maybe his wife is fine with it too. Maybe he just really wants to be there. Maybe it's not his wife at all. It didn't sound like it was.
00:22:11
Speaker 1: They better win that game though. Can you imagine missing the birth and losing?
00:22:18
Speaker 2: That would not be ideal.
00:22:20
Speaker 3: But anyway, just an interesting story things you don't think about.
00:22:23
Speaker 2: But yes, World.
00:22:24
Speaker 3: Cup soccer players are people too, and you know, like soon to be new dads, and there's all sorts of life events that are going on. There's a lot of sacrifice that happens to get to this level and people make different choices. Some people don't like those choices, and then they get suspected and with that everyone, we appreciate you listening to us. I'm Aye Robock alongside TJ.
00:22:46
Speaker 2: Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.