As torrential rain fell durung the entire day of Monday 12th July 2021, the country mourned. It was not meant to be like this. Gloomy grey skies, heavy non-stop rain falling from morning, noon till night during the midst of summer. But this was the day after. A day for reflection and introspection. A person hadn’t died, but an entire nation’s hopes and dreams certainly had.
The Prime Minister had hinted there would be a national holiday if England had managed to ascend the previously unassailable mountain for so long, win a major international football tournament for the first time in over half a century. And by a cruel twist of fate, once again England were once again essentially the home nation cheered on by a fiercely passionate and desperate home crowd.
But Italy, themselves who had suffered the ignominy of even failing to qualify for the last World Cup in 2018, the first they hadn’t done so since 1958, we’re empowered having undergone their own renaissance and came to London with intentions of victory of their own. As they lifted the European Championship at a rain-soaked Wembley Stadium the previous Sunday night after defeating the home nation on penalties the country was in shock. The country still processing the defeat weeks and months after the result. It will live long in the memory. It was a tragedy of national proportions.
A silver lining must be that for all those that lived through this tournament it was a blessing that we were all able to witness it. Besides it may be another 55 years again till England reach the final and not all of us may be around then! The way the team united the country and and how the public took to this group of players as they seemed a more humble and personable bunch than previous England footballers was amazing to see.
Unfortunately penalties was to be England’s nemesis once again but the fact that 3 of the penalty takers were black, and the squad was a much more multi-cultural and close-knit group regardless of club or regional rivalries compared to the make up of the squad of the last tournament here 25 years ago ( Euro 96 ) shows there indeed has been progress with the national team being more truly representative of the entire talent this country possesses at its disposal.
Southgate himself needs to be praised and commended for he himself has given the opportunity and handed many black players their debuts since he took over, the most during of any previous England managers tenure. He has also spoken of the need to end white privilege in football and the need to have more black managers, coaches and directors at senior level. The fact that Chris Powell was part of his coaching staff for the Euros is a step in the right direction. But much more needs to be done.
Is this more a sign and a reflection of the times we are in, as opposed to Southgate’s own independent school of thought and his actions? Whichever way, he has to be commended for the bravery and fearlessness of picking players based upon current form and natural talent rather than simply pandering to media pressure, such was the accusation levelled at England managers of the past, and that it was the media who had their favourites and it was the journalists who really picked the team. Also, the England team selection being based mainly upon the image of whom they were trying to portray the ‘best version’ of England to the rest of the world, rather than simply choosing the best footballers to win regardless of what they looked like.
However the horrific nature and sheer volume of the online racist abuse the three spot kickers who missed their kicks received shows that there is still a long way to go for harmonious race relations to be fully achieved in top level multi-cultural sporting settings. For Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka where is the duty of care and protection for these young men? They are someone’s son, brother, friend, nephew and cousin and this is also a national tragedy as they were not protected enough from this vile abuse which appears to be in the under-current of British society.
Unfortunately as minorities living in Britain already know their Britishness is largely dependent on visible success, but one mistake or slip-up and suddenly it becomes void. Having constantly having to tread this tightrope ever so often they are reminded they are not quite British enough. In the coming weeks, months and years it is important these boys are uplifted, supported and loved just as much, if not more, as they were in the run-up to the final.
A fear would be it would take a truly devastating situation to arise such as a player giving up his career, becoming mentally ill or even worse still, taking his own life as he couldn’t deal with the abuse for these platforms to then be truly held accountable.
Of the three young men who unfortunately missed their penalties Saka was the most unfortunate as his was the last and decisive one but it could be argued the shootout was almost over and the pendulum had swung in Italy’s favour by that point anyways. The fact that he was the youngest and still only a teenager didn’t help matters. Saka himself comes from a good solid Nigerian and British family background, and has the required talent and level headed temperament, and above all has the time and the years ahead of him to put this set back behind him for the better. He hopefully should be a a mainstay of the senior England side for years to come.
What the final taught us is that young black English children know for certain they have the opportunity to play for their country if they possess the talent and are good enough, and if they are disciplined and work hard enough anything is possible. The door is fully open for them to represent their country at the highest level now. But they also know that if they make a mistake they are liable to be racially abused . This in itself is a modern national tragedy.
“I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose.”
Mesut Ozil ( World Cup Winner with Germany in 2014 , speaking on his Turkish-German dual heritage ) .
If England wants to be seen as a beacon of multi culturalism and inclusivity in its top level football and sporting fields it needs to protect its children who represent it on a world stage better in the future so as to avoid a national tragedy of even bigger proportions of one of its sporting stars dare we say tragically losing or taking their own life due to the pressures and evils of certain small minded disgraceful set of “fans” and enemies of progress. It has happened before, even if for slightly different reasons, as in the case of Justin Fashanu RIP for example.
Nobody wants history to repeat itself, a young black man taking his own life because he can’t live with himself and because of the abuse he receives. And that truly would be a modern national tragedy of epic proportions.
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