Singing the national anthem before games always fired us up and felt patriotic... I don't understand Lee Carsley's decision, writes former England international MARK WRIGHT https://t.co/YbYwpf9lJY pic.twitter.com/PPU806owMH— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) September 6, 2024 Former players being dragged out now to call him out.
Come on… it’s personal choice. No-one HAS to sing. Thankfully we live in democracy.— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) September 6, 2024 Well not everyone in the Press is against him…..
It is hardly surprising. Journalist asks a question at a press conference, to then be able to write an article (others pile on if nothing more interesting occurs). Carsley’s response was actual very good but will get largely ignored. There is no cunning plan behind this.
It feels like they pre planned their response having noticed he didn’t sing it for the U21’s and that they would ask him during the press conference and use his answer to led the pre arranged stories. The press conference was at 7pm and by 9pm sports writers had full articles written condemning Carsley and an article written by Mark Wright was written by him within three or so hours - that’s pretty quick.
I don’t care if Lee Carsley sings the National Anthem or not as long as he gets a tune out of the England players. Carsley, checks notes, a former 🇮🇪international, didn’t sing GSTK with #ENG U21s and he certainly got a tune out of them. Great to watch - and European champions.— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) September 6, 2024
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...oes-not-sing-national-anthem-england-manager/ If Lee Carsley doesn’t sing the national anthem, he can’t expect to manage England Spoiler (Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content) Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler An anthem is seen as a demonstration of unity and belonging – Carsley may see it as a distraction but he is the manager Lee Carsley has stumbled at the first, and somewhat unexpected, hurdle as England’s proposed new manager. By suggesting he will not sing the national anthem ahead of his inaugural match in charge as Gareth Southgate’s would-be successor Carsley has proved to be naïve. The interim surely cannot expect to manage England if he does not sing the anthem? Sometimes you just have to do things out of respect and in recognition of the position you are in. Carsley is failing to do that. He will argue he is being consistent. He never sang as a player for the Republic of Ireland – born in Birmingham, he qualified through his grandmother – and he did not do it as the head coach of the England Under-21s. But this is a whole new ball game. A whole new level. A new level of responsibility, a new level of focus, of scrutiny, of expectation and of being a leader and, yes, an ambassador. Managing the England men’s national side is a different office. And Carsley needs to understand that if he wants to occupy it and not cause unnecessary offence. Of course he does not mean any disrespect – in fact he was at pains to say that ‘God Save The King’ is “something I am really respectful of” ahead of facing Ireland, ironically of course, in a Nations League tie in Dublin on Saturday. His explanation for staying silent? “I am in the zone at that moment [before kick-off],” Carsley argued, claiming he did not want to lose concentration for the game ahead. But does that really wash? Would he really knock his attention span so dramatically if he was distracted by a few bars of an anthem? Does it raise the question as to whether he can psychologically cope with the added duties, attention and pressure? There are, for example, far more media duties and pre-match demands as England manager than as the Under-21s coach. In the past players have been allowed to make up their own minds over whether or not they joined in with the anthem. However there has been criticism. Wayne Rooney did not sing it at the start of his international career and Gary Neville used to refuse to join in, also preferring to “focus on the match” instead. More recently Trent Alexander-Arnold was rebuked. The Football Association’s position is that it is a personal choice. But certainly Southgate and – before him – Roy Hodgson felt strongly about it and urged their players to sing just as they did. Southgate’s patriotism is a strong part of his character and he has spoken passionately about it, his pride at being English and his love of his country. Whatever the arguments over Southgate’s acumen as a manager, no-one could doubt how much it meant to him, how deeply he felt it and how seriously he took every element of the job. He also never ducked an issue, no matter how many curve balls were thrown at him, and often was a spokesman for a myriad of subjects far removed from football. He felt that was part of the job. Carsley, who played for Ireland 40 times, is allowed to feel differently. He also does not have to talk as Southgate talked. He can have his own approach and opinions and not use being England manager as a platform. He can narrow the focus far more back down to football – although that would be a shame as the England manager should have a voice beyond the pitch. But, unfortunately, it does feel disrespectful not to sing along to the anthem if he wants to be the man who leads the England national team. It kind of comes with the territory in a position which – rightly or wrongly – feels like it is up there with Prime Minister when it terms to national importance. Why? It is what is expected of a leader. An anthem is seen as a demonstration of unity, loyalty and belonging. It can instill pride and it can mark respect. Carsley may see it as a distraction. But he is the England manager. Fabio Capello did not do it, although he did sometimes appear to move his lips. Sven Goran Eriksson tried (“I’m not sure I ever entirely mastered “God Save the Queen’ but there I was, a Swede, standing in front of the bench and trying to sing a bit,” he said). And while Carsley is Irish – by dint of representing them and his heritage – even he would admit he is more English. He is certainly not Italian or Swedish. The FA has said it has not ruled out appointing a foreigner as England’s next manager and, certainly, being able to know lines such as “send him victorious/ happy and glorious” should not be part of the interview process but there should be an expectation that someone born and bred in the West Midlands might be able to sing them. Instead Carsley has found a rather silly way to trip himself up. He may have been honest. He may want to remain authentic but he also has to understand that he is now operating in a different sphere with far greater responsibility. Instead, he has made a story where there did not need to be one. The television cameras will train on him by the side of the pitch at the Aviva Stadium as the anthems are struck up. If he does not sing he will be criticised. If he does sing he will have buckled and realised he got it wrong. There is another reason that may appear less consequential but does matter. It is a shame he does not want to do it. The England team needs to be a source of pride for an at times fractured, angry nation. Showing unity is an opportunity that should be taken. Being naïve is never a good look and not least because it raises the question over whether Carsley is capable of making the step up to the job when it should not even be an issue. And all this even before a ball is kicked.
Lee Carsley should be sacked by the FA today. His refusal to sing the national anthem is a betrayal and he's not fit to be England manager, writes JEFF POWELL https://t.co/laqNjlMxWs pic.twitter.com/4MQf940my2— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) September 7, 2024 England’s new interim coach has every right not to sing the national anthem of the team he manages on behalf of the country. But, given the bewilderment such a decision will cause, why did he accept the job? Why was it offered to him? https://t.co/XeEfd02RLm— Colin Brazier (@ColinBrazierTV) September 7, 2024 MP’s are also getting involved - what a mess it has become. I don’t get why Carsley has become this figure of hate - but it worries me that he will decide he doesn’t want the job or the FA decide to listen to them and we get a quick replacement,
This is getting ridiculous! I feel like I’ve been transported to an alternate reality where everyone is just offended by everything and going way over the top! Honestly, this is just pathetic about this singing the anthem that it’s starting to get annoying!
Is it a mess? None of the tweets you're posting here even have a lot of interaction, maybe a few hundred likes at best. Seems like nobody gives a toss to me, and even then a lot of the comments are supportive of Carsley.
It feels like a bit of bubble but it’s the bubble that makes a lot of noise - some of Tomorrow’s back pages will probably be a picture of him silent on the touchline instead of pictures of the match considering how obsessed a couple of papers are with this.)
Funny thing is that many of the players didn't used to sing it either and no one really cared until the right wing rags started moaning about it.
This is basically like Christmas Eve/morning for fireburn Looking at a lot of comments even on the Daily Mail site a lot don’t seem to care. Only really Twitter that has complaints. But that is nothing but an echo chamber with lots of pretty incoherent comments. They have really dragged some old relics out to make comment. How long down the line do you get looking for an ex-international before you go with a comment from Mark Wright? Jeff Powell is like 80 something now.
This kind of crap is all engagement bait, these rags have become so irrelevant in the modern world it’s what they have to do unfortunately. It’s kind of sad how so many people on both sides of any manufactured controversy fall for it every time.
Is England's next manager already in position? Anthony Gordon certainly backs Lee Carsley to take on the role 💪#ITVFootball | @gabrielclarke05 pic.twitter.com/7CplVu4KFD— ITV Football (@itvfootball) September 7, 2024
The only mistake Carsley has made is thinking the England job is purely about footballBefore a ball is kicked, he’s found out it’s about so much moreIt’s a vessel for political influences to pour intoNavigating this is what Southgate was good athttps://t.co/mtaXCJC79q— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) September 7, 2024
🔺 UPDATE: Lee Carsley’s chances of becoming the new England manager on a permanent basis will not be affected by his refusal to sing God Save the King, with the FA remaining steadfast in their belief that it should be a personal choice.Read more ⬇️https://t.co/wpZHcBACLH https://t.co/wEVd4WiG4q— Times Sport (@TimesSport) September 7, 2024
Analysis: There has been disquiet in the FA about the coverage and negativity around Gareth Southgate at the Euros - and the confected row over Lee Carsley is a throwback to a bygone era when Sven-Goran Eriksson’s hiring was portrayed as a betrayal https://t.co/Z7JhwKIkzq— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) September 7, 2024
As far as I can see it seems this is all something a non-troversy in wider reaction. The vast majority of the people seem to fall in to "its a free country". Reminiscent of the controversy from the same rags who tried to make a big thing of the England shirts "gone woke" which ultimately fizzled out almost as soon as they made a thing of it.
'Made all his players sing it' - That makes Gareth sound like a complete c*nt the way you've phrased it.
To be fair, the main opposition, regarding the so-called shirt controversy seemed to be more of people just saying 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' and 'the shirts look worse now than before', both of which were valid opinions to be fair. The 'THIS WOKE NOW' crowd were definitely out in force also though of course.
"I have so much respect for both national anthems"England interim manager Lee Carsley ahead of today's game in Dublin@GabrielClarke05 pic.twitter.com/z7rYo4Ncu9— ITV Football (@itvfootball) September 7, 2024