Lee Carsley may not have anticipated the furore that would follow his pre-game press conference on Friday, when he was asked about singing national anthems. His assertion of respect and understanding towards both country’s anthems was not at issue. However, his confession that he never partakes in the tradition, whether as a player for Ireland or as the manager of England’s under-21 team as it interferes with his pre-game focus, sent shockwaves through certain sectors of the UK press. His statement caused uproar, with both the Telegraph and the Daily Mail featuring it as their lead front page story.
Fuel was further added to the fire through radio coverage on BBC Radio and LBC, an abundance of irate opinion pieces, and even a poll by the Daily Express asking whether Carsley should be dismissed for his refusal to sing ‘God Save The King’. The pitch of public opinion, according to the poll, was running at 60% in favour of this dismissal.
Jason Burt of the Telegraph passionately stated that Carsley “cannot expect to manage England if he does not sing the anthem”. Burt made a comparison to Fabio Capello and Sven-Göran Eriksson, neither of whom were born in England but occasionally attempted to sing along when the anthem played. Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail, however, arguably provided the most angered response, noting the inconsistency of expecting a Swedish and an Italian coach to sing “God Save the King” during a time when there was a queen reigning.
The title of Powell’s article hinted at his serious allegations: he described Lee Carsley’s refusal to sing the national anthem as a betrayal and called for his immediate dismissal by the Football Association (FA) as England’s manager. On the eve of the game at the Aviva Stadium, Powell argued that Carsley should be removed even before kick-off, a move that would surpass Sam Allardyce’s single-game tenure as the shortest stint as England’s manager.
Powell regarded Carsley’s silent stance during the anthem as worse than appointing non-British managers, describing it as a disservice to England. His surprise was not disguised when remarking about the FA’s selection of Carsley, whom he believed to be secretly of Irish descent.
Powell further emphasised Carsley’s apparent affection for Ireland, pointing out his response to a question on this matter indicated his deep ties to the country. Carsley’s silence during the anthem, coupled with his admiration for his Irish lineage, were marked as two key reasons why he should not be in charge of the England team.
Powell highlighted a comment made by Carsley following his temporary assignment as England’s head coach. In this comment, Carsley expressed pride in his Irish roots as well as his achievement of leading the English side – a sentiment that Powell dismissed with sarcasm.
To underscore his point, Powell recalled Carsley’s enthusiasm for spending his family holiday in Cork, Ireland. Powell then concludes alleging that Carsley has effectively relinquished his allegiance to England’s flag, comparing him unfavourably with Sir Alf Ramsey’s iconic World-Cup-winning endeavours.
Powell joked about Carsley’s future, suggesting that even if he succeeds in his role, he may still be turned into a media caricature like Graham Taylor’s ‘turnip’. A mock suggestion was made for Carsley to openly express his Irish loyalties – by singing the Irish national anthem, playing Ireland-affiliated footballers in unique positions, and promptly going on a holiday to Cork.
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