September 6th 2024.
On Saturday, the highly anticipated match between England and Ireland in Dublin will be led by none other than England manager Lee Carsley. However, as the team prepares to take the field, Carsley has announced that he will not be singing the national anthem, a tradition that he has always opted out of.
Carsley, who took over as interim Three Lions boss after Gareth Southgate's resignation following their defeat in the final of Euro 2024, is unsure of how long he will remain in the position. For now, he has two upcoming games to focus on – a match against Republic of Ireland on Saturday and a clash with Finland at home on Tuesday.
For Carsley, the game on Saturday holds special significance as he himself won 40 caps for Ireland as a player. He qualified for the country through his grandmother, making it a deeply personal experience. Some may assume that his decision not to sing England's national anthem is a sign of respect for the country he once played for. However, Carsley clarifies that he has never joined in the singing, choosing instead to remain focused on the game ahead and not be distracted by anything else.
"This is something that I always struggled with when I was playing for Ireland," Carsley explains. "The gap between the warm up and coming onto the pitch, and the delay with the anthems. So it's something that I have never done." He goes on to add that his mindset during the national anthem is to think about how the opposition will set up and their first actions during the game, a habit he has carried into his coaching career. Despite not singing, Carsley stresses that he has immense respect for both anthems and understands their importance to both countries.
England captain Harry Kane also acknowledges that the atmosphere in Dublin may not be the most welcoming, but he is ready for the challenge. "It's going to be a tough game – the atmosphere will be tough," Kane says. "We expect it to be a little bit hostile, but that's nothing new for us in away games." Interestingly, Kane reveals that he could have been playing for Ireland rather than England, as his grandparents are Irish. However, his career with England's youth teams and first team took precedence.
As the two teams gear up for what is sure to be an intense match, one thing is clear – both sides have immense respect for each other's nations and anthems. And for Lee Carsley, his focus remains solely on the game, just as it was during his playing days.
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