TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN said fans at the Ireland v England game at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday should have paid respect to God Save the King.
The English national anthem was widely booed as it was played before kick-off and Martin today told reporters he “wasn’t happy with it”.
England won the Uefa Nations League fixture by two goals, both of which came from Declan Rice and Jack Grealish.
Both players represented Ireland earlier in their careers before switching allegiance to England and Rice and Grealish were also booed by some Irish supporters.
Speaking in Newry, Co Down this morning, Martin said: “I think when we’re hosting any country in the world, we should pay respect to their anthem, just as they should pay respect to our anthem.
“But the vast, vast majority of fans did pay respect, but you get that, it’s football.
“And I thought overall the match was played in a wonderful atmosphere, there was a very happy atmosphere in the Aviva.”
He added that it was a “happy occasion” and that “it was good to have the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and indeed Hilary Benn (Northern Ireland Secretary) at the match as well”.
“We had a good night,” said Martin.
On the game at the weekend, Martin remarked that “there was some very good football played and we could have had one or two”.
He also praised the performance of fellow Cork native Chiedozie Ogbene, adding: “He actually played with my GAA club when he was a young fella, so we’ve a particular interest in his fortunes and he’s done very well with the green shirt on.”
Meanwhile, anthems also dominated the pre-match build-up to Saturday’s game, with current England manager and former Republic of Ireland player Lee Carsley stating that he would not sing either national anthem.
Carsley said he “always struggled” with the anthems as a player and coach because he is “always really focused on the game” and “found that in that period I was wary of my mind wandering off”.
His comments provoked a backlash in Saturday’s English papers, most notably in the Daily Telegraph where chief football correspondent Jason Burt argued that “if Carsley doesn’t sing [the] anthem, he can’t expect to manage England”.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail’s front-page splash described “disbelief and anger” at Carsley’s position, while journalist Jeff Powell branded it a “betrayal”.
Written by Diarmuid Pepper and posted on TheJournal.ie
