National Anthems Do We Need Them

[lardy]

Try and debate instead of having a dig .

It was a genuine question whilst watching today's team athems and some team members not really engaging in it ,made me wonder is it uncomfortable for them .

I just wondered about other board members (sensible ) views.

It's not a dig at all, it's a direct response to your OP. If I've got it wrong please correct me, but you seem to be saying that when there was mainly one ethnicity in the national teams and crowds then anthems were fine, but now there are different ones it's become a problem.

[Peajay]

It's not a dig at all, it's a direct response to your OP. If I've got it wrong please correct me, but you seem to be saying that when there was mainly one ethnicity in the national teams and crowds then anthems were fine, but now there are different ones it's become a problem.

I love our anthem but I do like these two;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9J6rFWTfVA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAZ7iFji2s4

[surge]

It's not a dig at all, it's a direct response to your OP. If I've got it wrong please correct me, but you seem to be saying that when there was mainly one ethnicity in the national teams and crowds then anthems were fine, but now there are different ones it's become a problem.

I went to school with people who were born and brought up in the UK but in terms of cricket would more likely support Pakistan or India because that's where there family's cultural background is. I felt that the OP was perhaps talking about dual-citizenship or coming from a family where perhaps you're first generation British so singing as if you're exclusively English may not reflect your feelings about nationality, and that this is becoming more common as sport gets better at representing all communities. Footballers like Declan Rice for example would also fall into this and perhaps prefer not to sing one anthem exclusively.

However, I have my doubts that the OP was talking about the Indian anthem this morning so isn't really talking about the complexity of nationality and potential complications of nationalism, and is instead looking for reasons to continue to support #weareEngland which completely ignores that it should be representing Wales as well. Fortunately for them, England have qualified for Olympic football in Tokyo (or so says the BBC commentator) so they have a chance to continue to support a "big" side in international football and Liverpool, for example, are always happy to accept Welsh fans so they've got a chance at club level too.

[life on mars]

I went to school with people who were born and brought up in the UK but in terms of cricket would more likely support Pakistan or India because that's where there family's cultural background is. I felt that the OP was perhaps talking about dual-citizenship or coming from a family where perhaps you're first generation British so singing as if you're exclusively English may not reflect your feelings about nationality, and that this is becoming more common as sport gets better at representing all communities. Footballers like Declan Rice for example would also fall into this and perhaps prefer not to sing one anthem exclusively.

However, I have my doubts that the OP was talking about the Indian anthem this morning so isn't really talking about the complexity of nationality and potential complications of nationalism, and is instead looking for reasons to continue to support #weareEngland which completely ignores that it should be representing Wales as well. Fortunately for them, England have qualified for Olympic football in Tokyo (or so says the BBC commentator) so they have a chance to continue to support a "big" side in international football and Liverpool, for example, are always happy to accept Welsh fans so they've got a chance at club level too.

Thanks.