“It is time for the country to unite. Period!” Gareth Southgate said, with an added focus as Euro 2020 finally begins in Rome.
He is unwavering in his support for his English players who choose to always ‘take the knee’ before kick-off – despite boos from some sections of the limited number of England fans in the stadiums in recent matches.
“I would say about 30% of the fans chose to boo,” England fan Kieran Baker told Sky News.
The England team are said to be united in their desire to kneel before the start of their Euro 2020 matches
The 34-year-old from South Yorkshire has traveled home and away with England since the World Cup in Germany in 2006.
“We have been waiting for these euros for so long, so it is disappointing that this dispute is eclipsing it – some people are joining it without thinking,” he added.
“I had to push someone next to me at one of the friendlies and say, ‘What are you doing?’
“It’s just their opinion, they just read it in a different way – it’s hard to change someone’s mind when it’s like that.”
Fans booing the knee grip say it’s because, in their opinion, Black Lives Matter is an extreme political organization. Gareth Southgate and his players insist that this is a sporting gesture to show solidarity in the fight against discrimination.
England manager Gareth Southgate says he is unwavering in supporting his England players who always choose to ‘take the knee’ before kick-off
Tony Burnett, chief executive of anti-racist group Kick It Out, told Sky News: “I think people who now choose to boo are basically saying to English players and English staff ‘we don’t believe, we don’t believe it’. don’t believe in your motives ”, and I think there is a more sinister side to it.
“It’s not a political gesture, it’s a sporting gesture to say …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-12 16:11:00
