Gareth Southgate emphasizes his duty to shield Harry Maguire in the face of increased abuse directed at the defender following England’s 3-1 friendly win over Scotland last month. The England manager firmly believes that much of this abuse has been fueled by social media. He remains resolute in his stance and does not regret his criticism of the media for exacerbating the situation, which led to Scotland fans mocking Maguire at Hampden Park. Despite Maguire’s recent struggles and the ridicule he has faced for his fall from grace at Manchester United, Southgate has consistently offered his unwavering support.
Southgate, who publicly described the treatment of Maguire as a “joke” and censured the media for exacerbating the situation, expressed genuine emotions. Despite Maguire’s lack of starts for United in the current league season, Southgate has refrained from dropping him and has included the center-back in the squad for England’s upcoming friendly against Australia and the Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy.
The England manager stated, “It is the responsibility of a coach to protect their players. He is treated in a strange way.” Southgate pointed out instances where media coverage had singled out Maguire, even when he didn’t participate in a recent game, as an illustration of the unconscious bias. He further explained, “That is what I was trying to highlight. I had my say. It is done. He has been an important player for us, he still is an important player for us.” Southgate acknowledged that there is competition for places within the team, including young and different center-back options, but emphasized that his role as a coach is to protect his players.
Regarding his previous comments, Southgate clarified, “You can talk to the group as a manager but your actions are going to speak louder. When I criticized, I said commentators and pundits. I didn’t put social media into that.” He acknowledged that commentators and pundits may have reacted to his criticism, but reiterated that the most important aspect was providing support to the players, particularly those who have been part of the team for an extended period.