Southgate responds to Man Utd links and England kit fiasco – ‘It’s not the cross of St George’

Gareth Southgate has responded to his links to the Manchester United job and attempted to placate the anger over the new England kit by insisting “it’s not the cross of St George”.

Reports earlier this week claimed Southgate is Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘number one choice’ to replace Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford should the Dutchman be shown the door at the end of the season.

Focus on England

And in his press conference ahead of England’s friendly with Brazil on Saturday, Southgate revealed that he won’t be talking to prospective suitors while still manager of England.

He said: “Every time I’ve sat with you I’ve said my focus is on the European Championship. Everyone would be saying why sign a contract before the Euros where you have to prove yourself.

“I’m not going to speak to anyone else when I’m in a job.”

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“It’s not the cross of St George”

Focus on the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium has been drawn by the new England kit, featuring a cross on the collar which has caused mass anger among former players and fans, who have bizarrely taken it as an attempt by The Woke Brigade to destroy the country’s heritage.

Southgate seemed nonplussed by it all – instead focusing on the football – but said the Three Lions symbol is more important than the cross of St George, which hasn’t always been on the shirt and isn’t on this one.

He said: “It’s not been high on my list of priorities. It depends which bit it is. I don’t know if the debate is about the flag needing to be on the England shirt because it hasn’t always been.

“The most important thing that has to be on an England shirt is the Three Lions. That’s our iconic symbol. That distinguishes us from other football teams and England rugby and cricket.

“If you’re asking should we be tampering with the cross of St George. In my head if it’s not a red cross on a white background it’s not the cross of St George anyway. It’s presumably some artistic take which I’m not creative enough to understand.

“It’s not taken anything away from what we’ve been preparing for.”

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