Lee Carsley and the National Anthem: Nothing to See Here. Or So You’d Think | Football

JUST WAIT FOR THE RETURN MATCH

For the opening game of his interim spell as England senior coach, a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland, the only foot Lee Carsley put wrong was the one that led him right instead of left as he exited the tunnel at the Aviva Stadium. The bench, he joked afterwards, was one he had spent a lot of time on during his international playing career, as he attributed his minor misstep to muscle memory rather than pre-match nerves. This followed a press conference on Friday in which he had responded to a question about whether he, a Birmingham lad who had played for Ireland but was now in charge of England, would sing the British national anthem before kick-off by saying he would not.

Carsley explained that his reluctance to sing God Save the King was not due to any particular reluctance to pull the lock of hair he has not had for over 30 years, out of respect for a man who – through an accident of birth – gets to live in his opulent palaces and wear a gold hat. He pointed out that he had never sung the national anthem as a player for Ireland or as England Under-21 manager and that he would not start doing so now. “I was always very focused on the game and my first actions in the game,” he explained. “I found myself being really wary of my mind wandering during that period. I have total respect for both anthems and understand how much they mean to both countries. It’s something I really respect.”

Stupid question asked and answered, nothing to see here. Or so you would think. The next morning Carsley woke up to front and back page headlines in the right wing press more or less accusing him of treason and calling for him to be locked up in the Tower of London (or at the very least fired from a job that isn’t really his). Because while fully respecting national anthems is all well and good, it’s not like you’re saying that unless you’re actually singing them for the benefit of some arrogant Little Englander types who have presumably lost their minds or been ordered to write them to further fuel the toxic resentment and division that their publications often fuel.

In news that is unlikely to bother Carsley but is almost certain to provoke collective groans of delight and the sharpening of the pens of his far more patriotic opponents in the press box, we are likely to hear more of this nonsense before the year is out. The final game of what is widely regarded as a six-game audition for England is the return match against the Republic at Wembley. Scheduled for November 17, it will be played a week after Remembrance Sunday, at the height of the poppy season and all the stone-axe-crazed, football-related insanity that goes with it. If he does indeed still want the impossible job on the back of a Nations League campaign that seems destined to be surrounded by faux-hysterical, carefully manufactured outrage, then it would be downright scandalous not to give it to him.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“When the paper is black it’s hard to connect the dots. But now that I’ve gone through it all, it’s white and I can put it all together again” – Former Ipswich and Spurs player Jason Dozzell opens up about expectations after becoming the youngest goalscorer in England’s top division and finding clarity after his mental health deteriorated, in this interview with Nick Ames.

The Los Angeles Times crossword clue for 32 down for Tuesday, September 3, was “__ vase.” Big?” – Kevin Smiley.

While I enjoyed the weekend’s international action, nothing topped Italy’s lower league clash between Pontassieve and Subbiano, who came away with a 0-0 draw after their coach entered the pitch and took down an opposition striker as he led a counter-attack. Impressively, Subbiano followed this up with a statement, declaring: ‘Certain incidents should never happen and we are certainly the first to be angry.’ It doesn’t always work out so well when these things happen” – Ashley Marsh

Send letters to [email protected]. The winner of today’s letter o’ the day is… Ashley Marsh, who wins a 7” vinyl copy of Manchester United Calypso, a soulful classic re-released by Be With Records. If you’re not a winner, visit their online store to pre-order your own copy. You can view our competition terms and conditions here.