Keir Starmer has waded into the debate over Lee Carsley opting against singing the national anthem (Picture: Sky / Getty)
Caretaker England boss Lee Carsley stood in respectful silence as his players sang God Save the King ahead of their Nations League clash with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
The 50-year-old former Ireland midfielder had indicated in advance that he would not join in with the national anthem – as has been his practice throughout his career – as he took charge of his first game in the wake of Gareth Southgate’s departure.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said ahead of the match that, while he would sing the anthem, it should be a personal decision for Carsley and for any individual.
Carsley was in good company as Ireland’s Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, also in the dugout for the first time following his appointment as Stephen Kenny’s successor in July, did not sing the Irish anthem, Amhran na bhFiann.
All the England players appeared to sing along amid raucous boos from the home fans, while many of the 2,981 travelling supporters chanted throughout the Irish anthem.
Speaking during the build-up to the game, Carsley explained his reasons for not singing.
He said: ‘This is something that I always struggled with when I was playing for Ireland – the gap between your warm-up, your coming on to the pitch and the delay with the anthems. So it’s something that I have never done.
Declan Rice scored England first goal in their Nations League game against Ireland (Photo by PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images)
‘I was always really focused on the game and my first actions of the game. I really found that in that period I was wary about my mind wandering off. I was really focused on the football and I have taken that into coaching.’
During his first official visit to Dublin, which Starmer said is a ‘moment for reset’ of relations between the UK and Ireland, the Prime Minister was asked for his views on the issue.
Starmer said: ‘I will sing the national anthem and we are having a fantastic reset of relations between Ireland and the UK, but the Taoiseach and I have already agreed that for 90 minutes we will suspend the reset and put more energy into it afterwards because we will be cheering on different sides.
‘So I will be singing the national anthem. What others do is really a matter for them.’
Asked then if he was not concerned about Carsley’s choice, the Prime Minister added: ‘I know what I will be doing and I will be singing it.
‘I won’t just be singing it, I will be cheering the team on.’