IT COULD be one of the most powerful images of our time. The picture — taken by the FA’s official photographer, Eddie Keogh — is more poignant, more important, and more striking than any of the interminable conversations about Uefa protocol. This shimmering print of Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling reaching out to each other […]
IT COULD be one of the most powerful images of our time.
The picture — taken by the FA’s official photographer, Eddie Keogh — is more poignant, more important, and more striking than any of the interminable conversations about Uefa protocol.
This shimmering print of Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling reaching out to each other during England’s 6-0 victory in Bulgaria has far more cultural significance than the endless back-and-forth opinion about walking off.
It is natural, a moment in time that should be used over and over to reinforce the sport’s drive towards equality.
It takes us back to Bobby Moore and Pele and the moment they swapped shirts after the group game between England and Brazil at the 1970 World Cup.
Yet in that particular case nobody’s first thought was that one player was black, another one white.
It was simply two great footballers coming together out of mutual respect and admiration for the way they played the beautiful game.
Keogh was pitchside in Sofia when the monkey chants started behind him after two or three minutes.
It was a reflex shot, a master at work in a toxic, uncomfortable, poisonous environment.
These guys are so close to the action they hear as much as the players.
Yet — surprise, surprise — Keogh, one of the few first-hand witnesses inside the stadium, has not heard a dickie bird from Uefa about giving his observations in evidence.
He captured Henderson running over to congratulate Sterling for setting up Ross Barkley to make it 2-0. You do not need to see the faces of the players to realise just how enduring a frame like this will become.
It could be any combination of black and white footballers — and that is the point. As is standard FA practice, the pictures were sent by WhatsApp to the England squad for personal or social media use.
Henderson picked this one out after a challenging night and it remains the last post on his Twitter account.
It certainly carries far greater social significance than the endless chat about whether or not England’s players should have walked off the pitch.
There cannot be a definitive answer to that because the players must be allowed to do what is right for them.
On Monday, guided by the feelings and views of their team-mates, they decided to carry on. That is their wont.
All week they had been told the only available solution in circumstances as appalling as this was to walk off the pitch.
Hmmm, not sure about that. Good on them for taking a different approach, adopting the three musketeers’ all-for-one and one-for-all principle when they talked it through with Gareth Southgate.
They opted to stick it out, to make sure Bulgaria remembered the visit of England’s rampant team for a very, very long time.
That they did, running out 6-0 winners with a bracing, committed performance in the most uncomfortable circumstances.
Keogh’s picture of the night — and, realistically, the year — captured it perfectly.
In the next few days, when the marketing drive for the next Euro 2020 qualifier — on November 14 at home to Montenegro — ramps up, this picture should be the focal point of the FA’s poster campaign.
It should be on the front cover of the programme too, a simple message that England’s players believe in a better world.
The FA are busy putting together the finishing touches for the country’s 1,000th competitive fixture next month.
Flag-waving is all nicey-nice but some things are much more important than the glad-handing of chairman Greg Clarke. This stunning image is one of them.
WALLY DOWNES is sweating on the result of an independent FA regulatory commission and was in front of the beaks yesterday.
Wimbledon boss Downes made a series of catastrophic mistakes, putting his position in jeopardy after admitting to a string of petty gambling misdemeanours.
The Dons, revelling in the old ‘Crazy Gang’ spirit when Downes kept them in League One against the odds last season, are now showing their true colours. They cannot wait to get shot of him.
No matter how small the stakes, Downes breached football’s strict regulations.
He will rightly be punished and have to accept the findings of the FA.
As for his club, the Dons should be trying to help one of their own, not looking for him to slip away quietly from the club that means the world to him.
SIR ALEX FERGUSON has a theory when it comes to dressing rooms that have a handful of players running down their contracts.
The former Manchester United manager is convinced the situation allows players to conspire and collude against club and manager while they plot their next career move.
Fergie staggered them at Old Trafford, using his influence to make sure he was always in control.
With three of Tottenham’s most influential players — Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen out in 2020 — it is advice Daniel Levy could do with using right now.
THE best team talk Ole Gunnar Solskaer can give Manchester United this weekend is to remind them of Sir Alex Ferguson’s infamous quote.
To knock Liverpool “right off their f*****g perch” at Old Trafford on Sunday — when Jurgen Klopp’s side are after a record-equalling 18th successive Premier League win — is the short-term target.
Challenging them in the future, building a team to see off Liverpool again, is a far bigger project.
Solskjaer, looking for his first Premier League win since September 14, could do with a throwback performance.
