SYMPATHY FOR THE (RED) DEVIL
If an army general insists on repeatedly sending morale-sapped troops charging into a hail of bullets, it could be argued it is churlish of them to complain when those manning the heavy artillery inevitably mow them down. And yet this is where we find ourselves following England’s win over Scotland in a fairly hostile friendly at Hampden Park. On a day when most headlines should be devoted to the effortless elegance of Jude Bellingham in making Steve Clarke’s side seem far more ordinary than their serene progress towards qualification for Euro 2024 suggests, a lot more coverage is being given to Gareth Southgate’s post-match anger at what he sees as horrifically unfair media treatment of one of his firm favourites, Harry Maguire.
Ponderous, laboured, often late and with a penchant for scoring unfortunate own goals, nobody knows better than Football Daily how it feels to be very publicly sent out into the firing line day after day, despite knowing you’re well past both your sell-by date and your best. With that in mind, we have a modicum of sympathy for old Slab Head, when other British media outlets who might in an ideal world be expected to have his back have been far less kind.
In the unfortunate position of answering to two different managers, one of whom has almost no faith in him while the other has far too much, Maguire has become a meme-worthy figure of fun, his lack of playing time at club level and every mistake being seized upon by fans and pundits as justification for his future non-inclusion in future England teams managed by a once commendably statesmanlike figure who appears to be slowly turning into a cranky megalomaniac.
“I’ve never known a player treated the way he is,” fumed Southgate, making no attempt to disguise his anger at those in English media circles, rather than home fans who had mocked Maguire relentlessly following his introduction as a second-half sub. “From a Scotland fans’ point of view I get it. I have absolutely no complaints with what they did, but it’s a consequence of ridiculous treatment of him for a long period of time. It’s a joke. Not by the Scottish fans but by our own commentators, pundits or whatever it is. They’ve created something that’s beyond anything I have ever seen.”
While much of the opprobrium being heaped upon Maguire is unpleasant and unlikely to boost his confidence, Southgate can’t conceivably be naive enough to know it wasn’t coming, given the player’s obvious lack of form, so it could be argued he is partly to blame for enabling the brickbats he finds so distasteful by continuing to pick a player so woefully out of form. Maguire’s may have been the most predictable own goal to be scored by a member of the England camp during the international break, but it certainly wasn’t the first.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“When, as a football player, the Fifa president Gianni Infantino congratulates you on your career it means that you have overplayed the game” – 43-year-old Andorra centre-back Ildefons Lima, who made his international debut in the same month that OK Computer was released, hangs up his boots after 26 years representing his country. It can’t have been much fun in that defence, either.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTER
Touching to see Gareth (a man who understands moments of difficulty) bigging up Harry Maguire and giving him that very public vote of confidence despite his woes, much like the many embattled chief suits of popular football clubs do to their managers immediately prior to going their separate ways by mutual consent, sacking, resignation or any other means possible. It can’t be easy being Maguire at the moment, but maybe he could put the smile back on his and everyone else’s faces by simply switching to clown make-up, red nose and fuzzy wig, some of those long shoes they wear, and honking a horn every time he touches the ball. Or go and do a pizza advert and wait for the England job to come up. You never know. It’s a funny old game, football …” – Jeremy Boyce.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Jeremy Boyce.
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