England’s inspiring team offers us hope of a joyful summer
ENGLAND needed this. Of course, other nations have endured a harrowing, horrible 18 months too; but sometimes it has felt like our country was being singled out for a unique form of suffering. Thousands of deaths, the NHS on the verge of collapse, the uncertainty of Brexit, interminable culture wars, and all that rain – sometimes England has felt more divided than ever before.
And then came Southgate’s boys.A new England team for a bright new era: smart, lucid lads whose origins are from across the world, but all of them wearing the white shirt of England.
Mostly from humble backgrounds – Raheem Sterling, born in Jamaica but brought up within sight of the Wembley arch, Marcus Rashford, from Wythenshawe, bright young talents like Saka and Sancho, that Yorkshire defence, solid as Sheffield steel. A young, talented team, working to make the country proud – and working for each other.
As you listened to the players being interviewed before and after the match – indeed, throughout this tournament – you noticed how genuine they were, how supportive of one another and their opponents – not only praising Denmark, for example, but giving a signed England shirt to captain Simon Kjaer for stricken Christian Eriksen. For older fans, that brought back memories of the great Bobby Moore and Pele swapping shirts in 1970.
AGAIN and again this England team has delivered – on and off the pitch. Whatever your views on Rashford’s free school meals campaign, Sterling’s work combatting racism, or kneeling in support of BLM – the idea, not the organisation – it cannot be denied that this is a very different England team, reflecting a changing nation.
Out go the WAGs, the sex scandals, the boozy bust-ups; in come new priorities, new ways of performing – a new form of patriotism. Much of the credit for the team’s transformation must go to manager Gareth Southgate, whose story of redemption after his shoot-out agony in 1996 is so compelling.
Yet even without that Hollywood back story, there is much to admire in this decent, hard-working man whose humility and willingness to listen is complimented by a quiet patriotism and an inner core even the fearsome Roy Keane describes as tough.
When England won the World Cup I was still in my mum’s belly, and there were times in the Seventies and Eighties when supporting the England team seemed an act of masochism.
Never mind losing to Germany (twice) or Iceland, what about the tournaments where England failed to qualify at all? When we did qualify, all too often our rioting fans let us down. In many ways, the “English Disease” mirrored the problems facing the country itself: divisions not just between teams, but between north and south, rich and poor and, sadly, between races.
It would be foolish to claim racism has gone away – but the fact is that England fans cheer on one of the most multi-racial teams on Earth, and for that I am proud.As someone who has always considered myself Left of Centre, I have been baffled by the reluctance of so many of my peers to be proud of their country, to cheer on a national team which, for many years, has reflected the multi-cultural make-up of the nation.
I recall during the 2014 Brazil World Cup some sour old Leftie being asked who he wanted to win. “Anyone but England,” he said. When you see them now, this brave young team, of varied race and religion, working
to make their country proud – who would still feel that way?
Win or lose, this tournament – and this team – has transformed the national mood. It feels like we are emerging from the most traumatic period since the Second World War into a bright new era. Let’s hope the success of this young team inspires the nation to greater achievements in everyday life as we emerge from lockdown.
THE impact of the tournament is already being felt by the hospitality industry, which after 18 months of misery is at last being boosted by fans as thirsty for beer as they are for success.
It’s very possible that when we look back, this tournament will have marked a turning point – the moment when the economy began to bounce back much like the ball did to Harry Kane with that penalty.
People are smiling on the streets again, the pubs are open, the uplifting refrain of “Sweet Caroline” is everywhere and the future seems brighter than it has in many months, perhaps years. For that, we should be thankful – to each other, and of course to our brilliant team.
Come on England!
‘The future seems brighter than it has in months, perhaps years’