Carsley’s England?

[mickd1961]

Tin hat time maybe Mick, but I'm going to defend McClean regarding his stance on the poppy shirt thing. Though born in 89, his home town is Derry and (as various recent documentaries have shown) the area still bares the scars of the Troubles. Six of the men shot by members of I Para during Bloody Sunday came from the estate he grew up on so, perhaps understandably, he has little time for those members of the British Army who were either involved directly or else assisted the cover up. (That the men were unlawfully killed seems pretty clear now and when I took our youngest to Duxford the other week I noticed that the room devoted to the parachute regiment has now amended that part of its history to acknowledge this. Given their bravery and service in so many other theatres, Bloody Sunday remains a stain on the regiment's history.)

McLean has made his position on this matter clear several times now. Basically, the British Legion support all veterans with the poppy sales and McClean has stated that he had no problem with those who served in the Great War or the Second World War (many of whom were Irish) nor those who served in some subsequent conflicts but his issue is with those who served in Ireland during the Troubles. This is not at all to say that he supported the IRA or terrorism but just that he doesn't feel he can commemorate those who served in the British Army over there during this time.

Without going down the rabbit hole of discussing the causes or rights and wrongs by any parties involved in the Troubles, I can understand his point of view. If Carsley is to be admired for being honest and standing up for his principles in refusing to sing the national anthem because of the overt allegiance in it to the Royal Family or whatever, surely McClean is entitled to the same?

I didn’t explain myself well enough in regards to McLean Omeg.

I have no problem with his stance to the poppy.

We are all products of our upbringing, he is no different to the rest of us and he has the right not to wear the poppy.

What I meant to say was that it would make someone like him, of these beliefs, a non starter to manage the England team.

Not singing along to the mumbling cnut’s anthem is not a big deal in my eyes whereas not wearing the poppy would be for an England manager.

[baggiematt]

I do think we ought to move with the times on this sort of issue. If someone wants to belt it out at the top of their voice, fine. If someone wants to not sing it, fine. No one's hurt, it's not disrespect and it makes you no less English.