Gareth Southgate acknowledged that he should accept criticism from the LGBT+ community as he named Jordan Henderson to his England squad.
People who thought of Henderson as a prominent supporter of the LGBTQ+ community were not pleased with his transfer to Saudi Arabia, a nation with few such rights.
“I think we are supportive of the community,” Southgate said. “A large number of the team and staff have either relatives or friends from that community.”
“We have made a great effort to be supportive, but I recognize that some people in the neighborhood felt let down. You must live your life as you see fit. I can only speak for myself and what the team stands for, and I make an effort to be respectful of many cultures and open to people in various roles.
Although it is not intentional, “If there is a feeling that we haven’t done enough, we have to accept that position. These are all very complex situations that we are trying to navigate.”
Southgate claimed that Henderson’s selection was motivated by football at the same time.
We’ve observed every game, but moving forward, it will be important to see whether the physical rigors of the league—along with the heat—will enable him to execute at the level we require.
“It’s obvious that the league’s level is fluctuating, and many nations will face this problem. Portugal has a few players there, so I’m confident they’ll continue to play for the national team.
We must determine where he will fit into our squad, which may include comparing him to those other players. When you aren’t participating in Champions League or Premier League games, that isn’t as simple.
