England have secured a place in the knockout stages of Euro 2024, but their performances have come under increasing scrutiny.
Roy Keane criticized the “delicacy” of modern footballers after Declan Rice urged fans and media to be more positive about England’s players. Gareth Southgate’s team is leading Group C ahead of their final match against Slovenia and has already advanced to the knockout rounds.
Despite this, England has faced fierce criticism following a lackluster 1-1 draw with Denmark, which intensified concerns after their narrow 1-0 victory over Serbia at the start of the tournament.
This criticism has sparked a heated exchange between players and media. England captain Harry Kane defended the team following blunt comments from Gary Lineker, while Rice pleaded for more positive support to boost the players’ morale.
Rice told ITV, “I don’t know why we feel like it’s such a negative thing. We’re top of the group, we need to stay positive, stay upbeat. Let’s give players the best confidence in the world… rather than reading negative comments that weigh on their minds.”
However, Keane strongly disagreed with the Arsenal midfielder, criticizing his views during his punditry duties on Tuesday night. Keane remarked, “The modern player seems to be a bit more delicate to criticism… Declan Rice is talking about ‘show some love.’ Listen, come on, it’s serious stuff. This is football. People have made huge sacrifices to travel. You get the love back when you perform.”
Rice, who started alongside Conor Gallagher in midfield against Slovenia, also addressed the pressure on the team given the high expectations after reaching the final of the last Euros. “We are all so desperate to do the country proud,” he said. “Sometimes I feel like we put too much pressure on ourselves instead of just letting it take care of itself. This is our job, and we have to deal with it.”
A victory over Slovenia will ensure England finishes top of Group C, but Slovenia will be a tough challenge, having troubled both Denmark and Serbia.
