England’s Lee Carsley keeps national anthem pledge and sits on wrong bench

Lee Carsley maintained that his choice to stick to his promise of not singing the English national anthem before his debut game as interim head coach does not diminish his dedication to the role.

In the first half, Declan Rice and Jack Grealish scored goals to help England secure a straightforward win against the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League. Carsley, originally from Birmingham, represented Ireland in 40 matches due to his grandmother's nationality. Despite facing criticism for not singing God Save the King before matches, Carsley defended his choice, stating that he prefers to concentrate on his performance on the field.

The 50-year-old was met with disapproval from some of the fans at the home stadium when his name was announced before the game, along with those of Rice and Grealish. Both players chose to play for England instead of Ireland, even though they had previously played for Ireland in youth teams and, in Rice's case, at the senior level.

After exiting the tunnel just before the game started, Carsley didn't go to his team's bench like he was supposed to. Instead, he sat down on the home team's bench. A steward had to tap him on the shoulder and tell him he was in the wrong place.

The ex-coach of England's Under 21 team, now filling in for Gareth Southgate during the Nations League, seemed unimpressed as he walked to the opposing team's bench. Despite the boos from the home fans during England's first game in Dublin in years, Carsley stayed true to his promise not to sing the anthem.

"I wasn't bothered at all by the controversy over my decision not to sing the national anthem," said Carsley. "I only heard about it this morning. I understand everyone has their own opinions, but it's just something I've never done before. I have full respect for both national anthems."

"Today was one of the happiest days of my life as I captained an England team in Dublin. I don't feel upset or wronged. I've been on teams where everyone sings the anthem loudly, but also on teams where some don't. I don't think it affects my dedication. I was really excited for today and it's the most proud moment of my football career. It's a moment I couldn't have anticipated."

When asked if the criticism made him reconsider pursuing the permanent position, he replied: "I wouldn't hold it against anyone for criticizing or not. My time playing for the Republic of Ireland was great, and my current experience as head coach of the senior team is also great. I understand that with this role comes some judgment, but I don't feel unfairly treated."

After accidentally sitting in the incorrect dugout, Carley found humor in the situation. "I went down the tunnel and turned in the wrong direction - I've spent so much time on the bench that I know exactly where it is," he explained. "Once I saw all the coaches on the other bench, I quickly realized my mistake and moved to the correct dugout."

Before the game began, Rice and Grealish were met with loud boos. The tension grew as the teams took the field, and a banner seemed to call out the Arsenal and Manchester City players as "snakes."

Rice chose not to celebrate when he scored in the 11th minute, but he was still met with more boos. Grealish, who was not selected for Southgate's Euro 2024 squad, didn't hold back when he scored the second goal. He raised both arms in the air to acknowledge the fans as England secured their first victory in Dublin in six decades.

"We got exactly what we were anticipating," Grealish confessed later. "We have no complaints, we both had a good experience [playing for Ireland] - I definitely did and I have a strong Irish heritage, so there are no hard feelings at all from me."