James McClean of WBA turns his back on the national anthem.
James McClean who is a Irish national turned his back on the British National anthem during a West Bromwich pre-season friendly against Charelston. Which as you can image has caused quite a bit of upset on twitter and other social media, so what do you guys think of the 'incident'.
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He can do what he wants. It isn't his national anthem.
Fair play to him.
It's bad enough that British players are hounded by media outlets if they don't roar every word of God save the queen. Now we're trying to tell an Irishman how to behave. If I was an Irishman I doubt I'd be filled with respect for the British national anthem.
I 100% back him.. The village he grew up in, 14 people were murdered by British soldiers, why should he respect the anthem?
Seeing the lad comes from a background where his community face intimidation from those who claim 'Britishness' as a justification for their actions, you can at least understand, if not agree, why McClean would not want to be seen to be taking part in the ceremony.
So, what happens when we play Germany or any number of others we have fought against?
I don't think he was being asked to "respect it" but what he did was to visibly "disrespect it " which seems a little political to me . There were atrocities on both sides during the troubles so I do not see why a few people on here seem to think we were the bogeyman in this on here . He could have simply not sung . The fact that they were in the USA indicates to me he may well have been play acting for the large Irish American contingent . I find it immature and quite frankly quite typical of a population over there who have a sub group who will simply not grow up and be quite happy to drag the past on and on . The IRA caused countless atrocities against British soldiers and against innocent citizens in this country and in northern island .
He can do what he likes. It's a free world.
I'm not sure why the anthems needed to be played in the first place - West Brom weren't representing a national association. McClean's conduct strikes me as misguided rather than principled - there were atrocities on both sides, and Baggies fans may have been killed in Ireland or caught up in the Birmingham bombings. I believe the footballer concerned has had some previous problems when asserting his nationalism - surely it would be better if he didn't ply his trade in a country which pays its footballers in English money.
Why should anthems be played in a club match. Most of the Premier sides have very few British players anyway. I agree with what he did.
Nice to see a footballer with principles. Good luck to him
Do you turn your back when the German anthem is played Booker?
this might be a subtle distinction but did he turn his back or just not turn to face the flag? From that photo it doesn't look like a particularly disrespectful gesture to me
I agree with those questioning why the national anthem is being played at football matches in the first place. I didn't know there was a British national anthem though, what's it called?
And whilst I cannot blame anyone directly involved who feels unable to make their own personal peace over the situation, I do think that for the good of the vast majority of both sides who have sought to draw a line under the events of the past and have indeed done so in the form of the Good Friday agreement, those who do feel unable to participate in the accord should not put themselves in the employ of a company in the country they cannot abide.
That said, the picture that I have seen doesn't seem disrespectful at all, he's just bowing his head and turned to the side. On the occasions when I am dragged into church (which is weddings, funerals and christenings) I don't participate in the praying but I don't mean any disrespect to those who are participating in their own particular beliefs. I suppose if someone took a photo and everyone else was hamming it up on the worshipping front, I'd be just as conspicuous as McCarthy is in the Indy photo.
The British national anthem is God Save the Queen, surprised you've not heard of it.
I've heard of an English national anthem by that name.
Seems like a fuss about very little to me.
Footballers are employed for their skills with thier feet not their opinions. it is well known that Mcclean has Irish nationalist views and regards the British flag as a symbol of an establishment that occupies his country and oppresses his people. In a free country, as we claim to be, he is entitled to his views.
As much as we disagree with his views, I would not expect mcclean to actively encourage disrespect for the flag but nor would I expect him to actively turn and salute a flag symbolising something he does not believe in. His actions on the photos provided appear proportionate to me.
As I understand it Mcclean was born in Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. I am not sure I understand the point about not living in a country where that flag applies - it is where he was born for goodness sake. Regardless fortunately we are not yet in a situation in this country for a citizen to be forced to visibly agree with actions of that countries government in order to be allowed to work.
Perhaps it was a nod towards good taste. God save the queen is the dullest National Anthem ever devised.
'God Save The Queen' is the British national anthem Ed. England does not have a national anthem.
We can look forward to plenty more on this topic if Scotland, Wales or N Ireland qualify for Euro 16. They will all complain that by default it will be God Save the Queen that will be their pre-match anthem.
Flower of Scotland is used as Scotlands "national anthem" at matches and the Welsh also have theirs, which I cant remember how to spell. Both are fine tunes by the way while God Save the Queen is a bit of a dirge.
As with so many things still in NI, whether GSTQ is the right national anthem to play depends on whether you come from the Nationalist or Loyalist tradition. it will be virtually impossible to satisfy both sides on that one.
If it's above politics then let's not have the national anthems at all.
Doubt the Welsh will complain. Got a good one and sounds awesome in its national tongue in the Millennium Stadium. Alot of history between the English and Welsh, but you won't see the Welsh turn their backs considering many earn their crust in England.
@DevC said:
I agree with Billy Connolly replace God Save the Queen with the theme from the Archers.
I had two collegues blown up by the ira in 88 do you think I would disrespect the Irish anthem no of course not and I'm not living there so the guys a compete tool in my eyes . He wasn't even born when this was going on. There was bad things done from both sides, my mates were only 20/21 there whole lives ahead of them taken out in a second in a car bomb.
@LX1 Aside from those who get off on constitutional points of order, everyone else hears God Save The Queen and thinks of England, Flower of Scotland and thinks of Scotland, the Welsh one (which is by far the best, but I never learned what it was called) and thinks of Wales. I have no idea what Northern Ireland go by, perhaps they use GSTQ as well and James McClean thinks of them whenever it is played - in which case I stand corrected.
@DevC What confused you was my rather oblique suggestion that his gripe was in fact with England rather than the UK. On closer inspection it seems his gripe is indeed with the UK as apparently he has taken citizenship with the Republic of Ireland is quick to point it out should people think otherwise just because of the accident of his birthplace. Either way, I never said or insinuated that people should be compelled to do anything whilst guesting with us, quite the reverse in fact.
Men of Harlech isn't it? The problem with God Save the Queen apart from being a dismal tune is that it is overtly political in itself as it always has been. If you don't think Elizabeth Windsor and her descendants should be head of state, then it doesn't really represent you.
No but that's hardly the point. I don't stand for our national anthem but so what? If he cares passionately about an issue what's wrong in choosing to express it if it's a meaningless symbol anyway and he's not hurting anyone?
It's "Land of my Fathers" And is awesome live even if like me you're not Welsh
@Ed But it is the British national anthem. What song did they play when Andy Murray won the Olympic gold medal?
Mae hen wlad fly nhadau. .....or Land of my fathers..... Top tune