Last weekend saw England and Ireland face off in the lacklustre competition that is the Nations League. Jack Grealish and Declan Rice, former Ireland players, ironically scored the goals that condemned Ireland to a 2-0 defeat in Dublin. However, another former Ireland player, Lee Carsley—now England’s interim boss—became a talking point, not for his coaching but for his lack of vocal participation during the English national anthem.
Carsley played forty times for Ireland during his playing career, despite being born in Birmingham. He qualified through the grandmother rule. These days, Carsley is embedded in the English football setup, having climbed the ranks from U21 boss to interim manager of the senior team.
Before the game, Carsley was asked if he would show his patriotism on the English touchline in Dublin by singing "God Save the King." Carsley explained why he struggles with singing the anthem:
"This is something that I always struggled with when I was playing for Ireland. The gap between your warm-up, coming onto the pitch, and the delay with the anthems is something I have never enjoyed,” Carsley said to The Telegraph last week.
“I was always really focused on the game and my first actions in the match. During that period, I was wary of my mind wandering off. I was really focused on the football, and I’ve carried that into my coaching.
“We had the national anthem with the Under-21s as well, but I am in a zone at that point. I am thinking about how the opposition will set up and our first actions in the game. I fully respect both anthems and understand how much they mean to both countries. It’s something I am really respectful of.”
The former Everton player added that he has ever sung an anthem during his career: "No, I don’t," he confirmed.
Carsley’s decision not to sing the anthem infuriated some nationalists in England, who viewed it as a lack of appreciation for God, King, and country. Several top publications in the UK called for Carsley’s resignation even before a ball had been kicked.
Jeff Powell from the Daily Mail wrote, “Lee Carsley should be sacked by the FA today. His refusal to sing the national anthem is a betrayal, and he’s not fit to be England manager.”
Former Spurs player and TalkSport presenter Jamie O'Hara echoed this sentiment: “What’s people’s take on Carsley not wanting to sing the national anthem? To me, that’s a no-go. You've just lost the entire nation before you've even kicked a ball. Thanks for coming, Lee," O'Hara posted on X.
I don’t care if Lee Carsley sings the National Anthem or not as long as he gets a tune out of the England players. Carsley, checks notes, a former 🇮🇪international, didn’t sing GSTK with #ENG U21s and he certainly got a tune out of them. Great to watch - and European champions.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) September 6, 2024
On the other hand, famed sports journalist Henry Winter offered a different perspective: "I don’t care if Lee Carsley sings the national anthem or not, as long as he gets a tune out of the England players. Carsley—checks notes—didn’t sing GSTK with #ENG U21s, and he certainly got a tune out of them. Great to watch, and they’re European champions."
This debate has overshadowed what was, from an English perspective, a stable and effective performance in Dublin. However, it’s worth asking: Did anyone truly expect a former Ireland player, now England's interim boss, to sing an anthem that many in Ireland frown upon, especially in Dublin? Why would someone deliberately bring that kind of unwanted attention upon themselves in what he would regard as a high-stakes game?
The two most scrutinised positions in England are the England manager and the Prime Minister. Carsley can’t win, regardless of what he does or doesn’t do when it comes to the national team. He is entitled to sing the anthem if he wants to or not. That decision should be down to Carsley and nobody else.
"Anthem-gate" is only the tip of the iceberg, and this issue of nationalism will likely rear its head again when Ireland play England at Wembley in November. That week coincides with Remembrance Week, and the debate about wearing the poppy will surely surface. From a PR perspective, both Carsley and the FA will likely be bracing for another wave of scrutiny.
Carsley may well go on to become an excellent manager for England, and who knows—he may even help them end their trophy drought. If that happens, no one will care whether he sang the anthem.
From an Irish perspective, it may be better if this noise gets louder, but surely there are more pressing issues in the UK. This should be obvious to anyone with an ounce of common sense.
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