England's interim manager Lee Carsley has sparked controversy by announcing he will not sing the national anthem before the upcoming UEFA Nations League match against the Republic of Ireland.
Carsley, who is taking charge of his first game since replacing Gareth Southgate on a temporary basis, explained his decision in a press conference.
Carsley told reporters: "This [the anthem] is something that I always struggled with when I was playing for Ireland.
"The gap between your warm-up, your coming on to the pitch and the delay with the anthems. So it's something that I have never done."
However, Carsley maintained that his decision was not due to disrespect, adding: "I fully respect both anthems and understand how much they mean to both countries. It's something I am really respectful of."
Reacting to the move, GB News host Darren Grimes expressed strong opposition to Carsley's decision, declaring that it is "not political to sing the national anthem".
He fumed: "It's unifying, it unites us all!" Grimes then emphasised the importance of players knowing the words to the anthem, stating that "they should know the words!"
Darren Grimes hit out at Lee Carsley for his refusal to sing the national anthem at England's upcoming game
GB News / PA
In defence of Carsley, sports journalist Aidan Magee offered a more understanding perspective on the England manager's decision.
He pointed out that Carsley's response was likely unprepared, telling Darren: "He will not have seen this question coming. There's an element of rabbit in the headlights to this."
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Lee Carsley has said he will not sing the national anthemPAMagee also noted that Carsley's stance is not unprecedented, claiming: "I noticed several players in the summer during the Euros not singing it. They may not know the words."
Hitting back at Magee, Darren stated that all sports players "should know the words" to the national anthem, no matter who they represent.
In response, Magee then suggested that the issue might be overblown, adding: "If England gets results, no one's going to worry about this and it will disappear in a puff of smoke."
In a warning about how this may impact the future of football going forward, Magee also pointed out potential challenges for the FA, saying: "Now the FA are going to be briefing all their staff and all the personnel. If you're in public, you sing the national anthem."
Aidan Magee warned that this will mean changes within the FA going forward
GB News
He added that such a policy might seem "a bit draconian" to some players, particularly those who may be "more Republican-minded."
He then questioned whether the anthem was as inclusive as it could be sharing feedback from a viewer who suggested the anthem "should be changed to something like Jerusalem".
Firing back at Magee, Darren fumed that the national anthem holds sovereign importance and that it "is the song that opens the GB News channel every morning".
