September 8th 2024.
Lee Carsley has faced some criticism for his decision not to sing the national anthem during his first match as interim manager for England. However, former player and England legend Gary Lineker has come to Carsley's defense, calling the backlash "bonkers" and "a bit weird." Carsley, who was capped 40 times by Ireland, had previously stated that he never participated in the pre-match tradition during his playing days.
The response to Carsley's decision has been mixed, with some fans and pundits, such as Harry Redknapp, believing that singing the national anthem should be a requirement for taking on the position permanently. But Lineker believes that the focus should be on footballing matters rather than Carsley's behavior in the dugout. He expressed his thoughts on The Rest Is Football podcast, saying, "Crikey, they do like to stir things up, don't they? I find it bonkers. If someone chooses not to sing, it doesn't matter."
Lineker also shared his own experience, saying that he used to sing but not too loud because he was shy and felt self-conscious on the football pitch. He added, "I just think it's a bit weird." Fellow pundit Alan Shearer agreed with Lineker, stating that Carsley will be judged on his football results and not on whether he sings the national anthem or not.
During the match, goals from Jack Grealish and Declan Rice secured a 2-0 victory for England, giving Carsley a winning start to his interim reign. Lineker was particularly impressed by the performance of Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, who he believes should be given a chance to prove himself against Finland on Tuesday night. Lineker praised Alexander-Arnold's passing range and urged the team to play on the front foot, even if it means being vulnerable to counter-attacks.
Overall, Lineker was encouraged by England's performance under Carsley and hopes that fans will start focusing on Alexander-Arnold's strengths rather than his defensive weaknesses. He was especially impressed by a pass from Alexander-Arnold to Anthony Gordon that led to the first goal, stating, "What a pass that was!" Lineker believes that Alexander-Arnold's talent cannot be ignored and that he should be a regular in the England team. He concluded by saying, "It was encouraging, a really encouraging start, but he's only been working with the players for a few days."
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