WE WON’T LET KNEE ROW DERAIL US

Southgate’s promise despite MPs’ attack

Black Lives Matter group that those choosing to ignore that are doing so deliberately.

Taking the knee was devised as a peaceful way to make a point about racial in justice by American footballer Colin Kaepernick, along with US Special Forces veteran Nate Boyer, who had objected to Kaepernick sitting out the US national anthem and suggested an alternative.

And the England manager insisted that, while he was sorry some Conservative MPs say they would no longer watch England, it would make no difference to the team’s views. He asked those booing and criticising to put themselves in the shoes of some of his young players and imagine how it might make them feel.

‘I wanted to hear from the more senior players in the group first and foremost,’ said Southgate of their meetings on Friday. ‘ I met with a slightly smaller group because it’s easier for people to talk and open up. My role is to represent the feelings and thoughts of the whole group and it was important to hear their view.

‘We did discuss “Is there a better way of doing this? Is there a more impactful way now of doing this ?” Perhaps, moving forward there probably is. But at this moment in time, given what happened the other day, we weren’t prepared to take a backward step.

‘We feel that would be wrong and would be bowing to pressure from outside and we don’t think that’s appropriate. So, we’re united on that as a team. I spoke with the wider group about that today. Everybody feels comfortable with that. Most importantly the players are supporting each other and that’s a big thing for us over the last few years and we’re totally united on how we feel about this.

‘It’s my responsibility to represent them in the best way I can but I can’t totally feel what it has been like for them because I haven’t walked in their shoes. But I do have a very good understanding of it.

‘I would ask people to reflect on how they would feel if they were an England player, a young England player, just about to represent their country and hearing basically the team being booed.

‘ I was concerned t hat what happened could affect the young players in particular because it happened immediately before the kick-off. I’d have been confused. I don’t know how I would have reacted as a young player. In essence, people are booing their own team. I don’t really understand that. If you don’t agree with the situation then you don’t have to applaud or do anything. To boo your own team is very strange.

‘This gesture of taking the knee is a moment for people to reflect and they can choose to reflect how they choose. Personally, whenever I’m doing it, I’m thinking of the boys that play for us, the journey they’ve been on, the difficulties they’ve faced in their lives that sadly they seem almost immune to at times but certainly at other times it hurts. ‘Ahead of the European Championship, where the games are being shown around the world, that moment just before kick-off will have a significant impact. If we can affect only a handful of people then we’ve made the world better for others. We’ll affect more than a handful of people, so it’s worth us continuing.’

Southgate said that they were prepared to ride out any negativity but added. ‘I don’t think that’s going to help their mental preparation for the game. But we’re prepared in case it happens. We have to accept that there could be elements of the crowd that boo. That would be hugely disappointing for us, but we’re prepared to go through that.

‘We’re adamant we’re not going to change and we don’t want to be talking about it throughout the summer any more. The players have said their piece, they’ve made their statements. It’s for other people now i n hierarchies of business, sport, government to make changes for all organisations — to actually show change.

‘ We don’t really want to give oxygen to people who, no matter how many times we say why we’re doing it, seem to ignore it.

‘We’re a country with freedom of speech, so everybody has a right to their own opinion. What I would say is people have got to recognise that, if that opinion or their show of that opinion might affect the performance of the team, then it’s a strange stance to take.

‘They should put themselves in the shoes of those young players and how they must feel. If that was their children, how would they feel about their kids being in that situation?

‘You know, one minute a player is being booed, the next they’re being cheered for making a t ackle, putting a cross in, scoring a goal. We want everybody united behind the team at this moment.’

Asked about the Conservative MPs who say they will not watch England, he said: ‘We will be very sorry to see them go.’