Nothing like a controversial statement from one of the most polite and diplomatic athletes on the planet to liven up a somewhat monotonous week of football in England. With the Premier League taking a break for the Nations League, it would be a chance for the England players to meet, put the defeat in this year’s European Cup final behind them and plan their path to the 2026 World Cup. .
However, of the 26 called up for matches against Greece and Ireland, eight asked for exemption citing physical problems. Captain Harry Kane broke protocol and, for the first time, publicly criticized his teammates. In an interview, he said that England comes before anything else, that what happened was a shame and that he understands the complicated period of the season, but that “maybe some players took advantage of the situation. I didn’t like it, to be honest, ” he stated.
It is worth mentioning that some of the absentees actually got injured on the field. Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were substituted in the last few Premier League games before the break, and it’s hard to think they wouldn’t want to be there until the end. Phil Foden played the full 90 minutes for Manchester City. Kane has reignited the debate about what is worth more: club or country?
England is going through a unique and complicated moment. The last coach, Gareth Southgate, spent eight years in charge, led the team to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the Euro finals in 2021 and this year. He resigned after failing to win any title, even with a team full of stars, but he became known for having given back the pride of playing and supporting the country.
Now, the English team is in limbo and has a bit of an identity crisis. Led by interim Lee Carsley, they are waiting for Thomas Tuchel, who was announced in October, but will only take over in January 2025. His first match in office will be in March, just one year and three months before the World Cup. The delay generated criticism of the English Federation. And Tuchel is already starting his new job under suspicion from some because he is German — equivalent to hiring an Argentinean to coach the Brazilian team. Furthermore, there is fatigue on the part of the fans, as the men’s team has not won anything since the 1966 World Cup.
Kane’s commitment is commendable, especially since he has never won a trophy for club or England. Ironically, he started on the bench in the 3-0 victory over Greece last Thursday (14), but praised the team’s performance.
Would this group, including those who asked to be released, be more committed if the new coach had taken over, since they don’t need to impress the interim? Perhaps yes. But can you blame them for the absence or possible lack of excitement in defending the national team, taking into account these factors, as well as a tight schedule and being in the middle of the club season, when the risk of injuries is considerable? Definitely not.
Any similarity with other teams is not a mere coincidence, and this could be the result when you add the disorganization of managers to the tiredness of the players and the lack of support from the fans due to the drought of titles. Then, there’s no love for the shirt that solves it.
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