The Euros are upon us. For football fans, it’s a time of nervous anticipation. What team will Southgate select? Will he start Foden or Bellingham in that coveted ‘10’ role? Could the England men follow the success of the women’s team, who’ve already shown us how it's done?! Can we bring football where it firmly belongs: home? It’s been a good few years being an England fan. While we haven’t quite got over the line, our recent near successes have captured the country’s imagination. And our young squad, yet to fulfil their potential - with the likes of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice - are only going to be better when we go again this month. They’ve already been through the mill. They know how to handle the pressure that comes with wearing that iconic white shirt. To bear the weight of the entire nation. For me, this team is also a good example of the great things about our country. Skilfulness, resilience, kindness. Indeed, there’s been a lot to be proud of outside of football too. Think of young Marcus Rashford's concern to see Britain’s children fed. And as Harry Kane leads the Three Lions out against Serbia, I hope we can use the power of football to inspire. We know the Euros can motivate young people to go out and get exercise. We know great cup runs can bring our nation together. The excitement of Euro 96 (the build up to another successful event in 1997) or (finally) winning at Penalties in 2018. It’s also a great chance to back our hospitality sector at local pubs. But I think we can use this tournament to talk about how we can make our country better, and to keep issues that sometimes fall under the radar in the public eye. We know many people in relationships with abusive partners dread major footballing competitions like the Euros. That’s because, alarmingly, they’re linked to more incidents of domestic abuse. Studies show such incidents go up by 50%. We’ve got to stop this totally unacceptable behaviour. And Keir Starmer is absolutely right when he says that while big tournaments like the Euros often do inspire people to get fit, today’s young people, unlike my generation, are being locked out of emulating their heroes. That’s because of falling PE provision. We need to ensure every child in North East Somerset has the chance to be active at school, and reform the curriculum to strengthen PE, sports and the arts. Because if playing team sports is the preserve of a handful of children, we will miss out on the talents of the many, and of cementing national pride in sports. But, no matter what happens this summer, fans will be tuning in, and a whole generation of youngsters will be walking taller and prouder. That’s already something Southgate, and his team, can feel great about. Good luck, England - the West of England is rooting for you!
Dan Norris says "Good luck England!" ahead of 2024 Euros in latest column
Wednesday 5th June 2024 12:37 pm
Share
![WECA Metro Mayor, Dan Norris.](https://www.mnrjournal.co.uk/tindle-static/image/2022/03/29/15/newFile.jpg?width=669&height=445&crop=669:445)
(Dan Norris)
Subscribe newsletter
Subscribe to our email and get updates right in your inbox.
Comments
To leave a comment you need to create an account. |