Three Lions anthem faces the axe because FA chiefs think it might offend other countries

[davieG]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10783833/Englands-Three-Lions-anthem-faces-replaced-World-Cup-Sweet-Caroline.html 

 

also in the - https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/18463486/footballs-coming-home-faces-world-cup-axe-offends/

 

England's Three Lions anthem faces the axe at World Cup because FA chiefs think it might offend other countries

The FA is set to drop the iconic 'Three Lions' anthem as England football team's official World Cup song amid fears it could be seen as arrogant by other countries.

FA chiefs are said to be reviewing other options which would see choruses of Baddiel and Skinner's 'Football's Coming Home' reminiscent of Euro '96 abandoned for a 'less offensive' alternative.

Neil Diamond's beloved 'Sweet Caroline' is currently tipped to replace the classic anthem, but critics have hit out at the FA for the 'woke' decision.

England legend Paul Gascoigne, who was instrumental in the Three Lions' march to the semi-finals at Euro '96, railed against the 'nonsense' idea.

'The FA have totally lost the plot... You can't take that song off us, it would be like saying we can't wave St George's flags anymore,' the 54-year-old told The Sun.

'This woke nonsense has no place in football. It's just a great song.'

 

England legend Paul Gascoigne was instrumental in the Three Lions' march to the semi-finals at Euro '96 (pictured celebrating goal against Spain during the tournament
'The FA have totally lost the plot... You can't take that song off us, it would be like saying we can't wave St George's flags anymore,' the 54-year-old (pictured in March) told The Sun
England legend Paul Gascoigne (pictured left in 1996 and right in March), who was instrumental in the Three Lions' march to the semi-finals at Euro '96, railed against the 'nonsense' idea. 'The FA have totally lost the plot... You can't take that song off us, it would be like saying we can't wave St George's flags anymore,' the 54-year-old told The Sun.

FA chiefs are said to be reviewing other options which would see choruses of Baddiel and Skinner's 'Football's Coming Home' reminiscent of Euro '96 abandoned for a 'less offensive' alternative

FA chiefs are said to be reviewing other options which would see choruses of Baddiel and Skinner's 'Football's Coming Home' reminiscent of Euro '96 abandoned for a 'less offensive' alternative

The 1996 anthem enjoyed a roaring comeback during the 2018 World Cup, in which England got to the semi-finals, and became the first song in UK history to have four spells at No 1 during the tournament

The 1996 anthem enjoyed a roaring comeback during the 2018 World Cup, in which England got to the semi-finals, and became the first song in UK history to have four spells at No 1 during the tournament

TalkTV presenter Piers Morgan echoed Gazza's sentiment last night and questioned how the song could be seen as offensive given its self-depricating nature.

'This song is all about wallowing in 30 years of pain and hurt and not winning anything - how can anyone say it's arrogant?' 

The FA's decision is sure to spark more controversy after UEFA stopped comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel from singing their hit song before the Euro 2020 final last summer because it was seen as too 'partisan'.

Officials share concerns that the song's repetitive chant 'It's Coming Home' suggests that England owns football and comes off as arrogant or snobbish to other countries.

Three Lions was originally written as the England's anthem for UEFA Euro 1996, and Skinner and Baddiel co-wrote and performed the song alongside The Lightning Seeds. 

The anthem enjoyed a roaring comeback during the 2018 World Cup, in which England got to the semi-finals, and became the first song in UK history to have four spells at No 1 during the tournament.

The song remains a key part of fans' celebrations and efforts to support England players but now faces being dropped. 

While appearing on the TV show The Last Leg ahead of the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy last summer, Skinner shared his frustrations with UEFA's decision.

He reminded viewers that Andrea Bocelli sang Nessun Dormua at the opening ceremony - which saw Italy kick-off the tournament against Turkey. 

Baddiel meanwhile told Sportsmail about the track and explained how the message it carries is the opposite of arrogant.

'The lyrics say it - we almost never win. Generally we disappoint and yet we somehow think, against all experience, that we might do something. 

Officials share concerns that the song's repetitive chant 'It's Coming Home' suggests that England owns football and comes off as arrogant or snobbish to other countries (England football team pictured March 29, 2022)

Officials share concerns that the song's repetitive chant 'It's Coming Home' suggests that England owns football and comes off as arrogant or snobbish to other countries (England football team pictured March 29, 2022)

UEFA stopped Frank Skinner and David Baddiel singing Three Lions at Wembley ahead of the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy because the song was 'too partisan'

UEFA stopped Frank Skinner and David Baddiel singing Three Lions at Wembley ahead of the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy because the song was 'too partisan' 

The comedians were the masterminds behind the Three Lions football anthem - which was penned 26 years ago and is chanted by England fans at every tournament

The comedians were the masterminds behind the Three Lions football anthem - which was penned 26 years ago and is chanted by England fans at every tournament

'Little moments — like David Platt scoring in extra time against Belgium in Italia 90 — can break through that despair, and lead you to hope. The song takes you on that journey which is a real one for England fans.' 

Baddiel continued: 'I think the song is the opposite of arrogant. It's a vulnerable song about magical thinking.

'What does happen is that when England are doing well, Football's Coming Home itself becomes a kind of mantra pushing us towards victory.

'The most intense I ever heard it chanted was when Shearer scored early on against Germany in the semi-final. The crowd were saying it like a magic spell, like if we sing it fast enough and powerfully enough it will happen.

'It's never meant to mean 'we own football'. It means coming home in the sense of something you hope will finally happen after a long journey.'  

[indierich06]

This is the worst kind of bollocks from The Sun, just adding more fuel to their culture war bonfire to convince people that anyone with a remotely 'woke' viewpoint is a loon. What's the source for this story? 'FA Chiefs are said to be reviewing...' so no source at all basically. No-one thinks shit like this is offensive, and it's just another weak attempt to create division by a rag that should have been put out of business years ago.

[Voll Blau]

Germans absolutely fvcking love Three Lions, in my experience. Believe it even made the Top 20 over there when it came out.

 

To be fair they can't get enough of Vindaloo etc either. I've got one mate over there who can even recite the whole of 'We're On The Ball' by Ant and Dec. I bet no-one in England can do that.

 

As has been said though, just another attempt by the usual suspects to get the "these days if you say you're English, you get thrown in jail" brigade all riled up without any justification.

Edited 5 May 2022 by Voll Blau

[Footballwipe]

Literally as said above, the only line referencing it is "FA chiefs are said to be reviewing other options"

 

The rest of the article is quotes from people associated with the song.

 

Still, it's a fantastic bit of fodder for TalkRadio, GB News, Talk TV and right-wing social media to salivate over. You absolutely know there's more to this story than meets the initial eye, whether it's BS or licensing or whatever, but "FA Chiefs said to be reviewing" is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here and it's just pathetic.

 

But see below for the inevitable GARGHADKFJHSFH THE FA ARE A DISGRACE replies from Foxestalkers...

Edited 5 May 2022 by Footballwipe

[Nalis]

56 minutes ago, indierich06 said:

This is the worst kind of bollocks from The Sun, just adding more fuel to their culture war bonfire to convince people that anyone with a remotely 'woke' viewpoint is a loon. What's the source for this story? 'FA Chiefs are said to be reviewing...' so no source at all basically. No-one thinks shit like this is offensive, and it's just another weak attempt to create division by a rag that should have been put out of business years ago.

Exactly what I thought it was going to be before reading the article and wasnt ptoved wrong.

 

Sad state of the world we live in when the most popular newspaper in the country is one that incites division through making crap up and twisting things.

[leicsmac]

26 minutes ago, Nalis said:

Exactly what I thought it was going to be before reading the article and wasnt ptoved wrong.

 

Sad state of the world we live in when the most popular newspaper in the country is one that incites division through making crap up and twisting things.

....they've been doing that for several decades.

 

"The Truth" being a key example.

[stripeyfox]

stopped reading at "Daily Mail"
 

[NasPb]

sensationalist "news" used to distract people from real issues

[Nalis]

53 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

....they've been doing that for several decades.

 

"The Truth" being a key example.

Oh yeah of course, its just sad that its still happening and wont stop anytime soon.

[AKCJ]

1 hour ago, Voll Blau said:

To be fair they can't get enough of Vindaloo etc either. I've got one mate over there who can even recite the whole of 'We're On The Ball' by Ant and Dec. I bet no-one in England can do that.

[Voll Blau]

Just now, AKCJ said:

Iiiiiiiiit's Neville to Campbell...

[indierich06]

 

As predicted, absolute horseshit. No blowback on the papers of course.

[leicsmac]

Yet another argument for newspapers and their online equivalent to be mandated to print a retraction/error apology on the same page and of the same size as the original article if the story is found to be false.

[Voll Blau]

4 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Yet another argument for newspapers and their online equivalent to be mandated to print a retraction/error apology on the same page and of the same size as the original article if the story is found to be false.

They already are.

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

They already are.

....on the same page and of the same size?

 

If that's true, then they're obviously not doing it.

[Voll Blau]

Just now, leicsmac said:

....on the same page and of the same size?

 

If that's true, then they're obviously not doing it.

The IPSO complaints process compels them to publish corrections with due prominence (i.e. the same page of the paper or further forward, or left on the website's homepage for a certain amount of time if it's an online article). But of course, in this instance it would only be ordered if the FA decided to complain and the complaint was then upheld.

[leicsmac]

7 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

The IPSO complaints process compels them to publish corrections with due prominence (i.e. the same page of the paper or further forward, or left on the website's homepage for a certain amount of time if it's an online article). But of course, in this instance it would only be ordered if the FA decided to complain and the complaint was then upheld.

Got it.

 

I do wish parties like the FA would then push that process more often. Misinformation like this is basically going unaccounted for while people buy it.

[Voll Blau]

48 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Got it.

 

I do wish parties like the FA would then push that process more often. Misinformation like this is basically going unaccounted for while people buy it.

Yep, absolutely. Don't wish to take this off topic but it's like the Angela Rayner Mail controversy. IPSO had 6,000 complaints but not one of them was made by her, so it won't be investigated.

 

People/organisations issuing rebuttals via their own channels (like the FA have done) is all well and good but unless they're willing to properly take the Mail and Sun to task then there's not a hope of us getting higher standards in the national press.

Edited 5 May 2022 by Voll Blau

[Lionator]

Glad to see the people on this thread calling the story for what it is. Just culture war, unsubstantiated nonsense. 

[indierich06]

1 hour ago, Voll Blau said:

Yep, absolutely. Don't wish to take this off topic but it's like the Angela Rayner Mail controversy. IPSO had 6,000 complaints but not one of them was made by her, so it won't be investigated.

 

People/organisations issuing rebuttals via their own channels (like the FA have done) is all well and good but unless they're willing to properly take the Mail and Sun to task then there's not a hope of us getting higher standards in the national press.

Can't wait until their readers die off and print media goes down the tubes altogether. They're already trying to diversify into TV with GB News and TalkTV and they're thankfully dying on their arses. There is no free press in this country, just a bunch of rags that publish the viewpoints of the ultra rich who own them.

[BrokenRecord]

What a coincidence this gets published on the day of council elections eh? 

[davieG]

3 hours ago, Voll Blau said:

Don't wish to take this off topic

I don't think you have.

[Daggers]

These days if you say you're English, you'll be arrested and thrown in jail.

[Finnegan]

3 minutes ago, Daggers said:

These days if you say you're English, you'll be arrested and thrown in jail.

 

Fair 

[BlueSi13]

Completely fake story.

 

But I have to say I do love how it seems to wind other nations up (whilst completely missing the point).