Tyrone Mings unfazed by Home Secretary opposition to England taking knee
Tyrone Mings has called on the largely positive response to England players taking the knee not to be overshadowed by jeers, after Priti Patel said she did not support the gesture.
The England team knelt ahead of kick-off in their Euro 2020 victory over Croatia on Sunday, where a vocal minority within Wembley continued to boo the anti-racism stance.
It followed more vociferous jeering in the two warm-up matches at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium and despite calls from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, England boss Gareth Southgate and the Football Association not to react negatively to the gesture.
England’s players have insisted they will continue to take the knee despite the protestations of some and that the message should not get lost.
“Understandably, when you have such strong beliefs there will be opposition to that,” said Villa defender Mings. “So we spoke about it a lot, we spoke about trying to educate or trying to inform the minority who refuse to acknowledge why we’re taking the knee and want to do it.
“But, at the same time, in Wembley there was a hugely positive reaction to us taking the knee as well and I don’t think that should be overshadowed by the minority that refuse to accept what the reasons are, or don’t agree with them.”
While Johnson called on fans to cheer, rather than boo, the taking of the knee, Home Secretary Patel did not agree, telling GB News she doesn’t ‘support people participating in that type of gesture politics’.
“To the Home Secretary, I don’t really have a direct message,” added Mings. “I mean we spoke, actually she invited me on to a Zoom call once, where she seemed so interested and engrossed in the players’ point of view and what we could do more to tackle these sort of issues.
“But at the same time, everybody’s entitled to their own opinion and the Home Secretary is one of many, many people that oppose us taking the knee or refuse to defend it. So, we have our own set of beliefs and what we think we can do to help and there will be players that can be influential and can stand up for what we believe in.”
Meanwhile, Mings says he has to worry about maintaining his own place in the England side before he worries about club skipper Jack Grealish.
Mings put in an excellent performance at the heart of England’s defence on Sunday in the 1-0 victory over Croatia.
In doing so, became the first Villa man to play in a major championships since current England boss Gareth Southgate in the European Championships in 2000.
And asked about that fact, Mings admitted he had be unaware until being told at a press conference yesterday.
“We are in a good time at the moment,” he said of Villa’s resurgence on the pitch. “We are enjoying some success and some stability on the pitch after a few up and down years but I wasn’t aware of that fact of me being the most recent player to play for England at a major championships since the manager – but that’s nice.”
Mings was also asked whether he thought it would be long before he was joined by Grealish, who was an unused substitute in the Croatia game.
“In terms of Jack, I knew if wouldn’t be long before I was asked about him,” smiled Mings. “But anyone in this room or anyone who watches football knows his qualities.”
And he continued: “I need to try to make sure I’m on the pitch before I worry about Jack – but I’m sure it won’t be long.”
Grealish trained away from the main group yesterday as England stepped up preparations for Friday’s game against Scotland.
It is understood the 25-year-old undertook an individualised programme indoors as he continues to build full fitness after the shin injury that laid him low for three months.
There were 24 members of Gareth Southgate’s squad training at St George’s Park on Tuesday, when Harry Maguire was again involved as he continues to build fitness after ankle ligament damage.
Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale will soon be joining up with the group as replacement for Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
The former Shrewsbury Town shot stopper withdrew ‘with a hip issue that would continue to limit his involvement in training throughout the tournament’ and returns to United for ‘further assessment and rehabilitation ahead of the 2021/22 season’.
Ramsdale, 23, will now join Jordan Pickford and Sam Johnstone as the goalkeepers available to Southgate for the remainder of the Euros.
