Chris Sutton has criticized Nike’s “playful update” of the St George’s cross on the back of England’s Euro 2024 jersey.
The strip, which launched on Monday ahead of Germany’s competition this summer, promises to “celebrate football heroes of the past with a modern twist.”
However, some supporters were outraged when the kit designer revealed he had replaced the traditional red cross horizontal line with a navy blue, light blue and pink line.
NOW, Everything starts host Chris Sutton also took issue with the kit’s design, which he discussed with co-host Ian Ladyman on their latest show.
Ladyman began: “One thing that triggered people about the New England kit this morning was the way the St. George’s cross was positioned and redesigned on the collar.
It’s All Kicking Off host Chris Sutton has slammed Nike’s “playful update” of the St George’s cross on the back of England’s Euro 2024 jersey.
The kit designer revealed this week that he had replaced the traditional red cross horizontal line with a navy, light blue and pink line.
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“Nike, the makers of the kit, state on their own website that it is a “playful update of the St. George flag appearing on the collar to unite and inspire.” Now if that bothers you , Chris laughs, if that bothers you…
Sutton then jumped in to say: “This is so much bullshit, isn’t it? Unite and what? Inspire. Rally and inspire by changing the flag? It is therefore not the Cross of Saint George.
Ladyman retorted: “If I can explain it, if you imagine the traditional cross of St. George, a red cross, the design that appears on the back collar of the English shirt is or has a red vertical strand, as one can expect it.
“But the horizontal strand of the cross isn’t red, it’s two shades of blue and purple. I know it sounds difficult, but there are already pictures all over the internet about this. Chris, you ‘have seen. What are your thoughts?’
His co-host replied: “It’s not the St. George’s Cross, is it? I understand there will be people who say it’s not representative when it’s on an England jersey and that it shouldn’t represent an England jersey. I understand that.
“I’m not going to get upset about it, but for heaven’s sake, could the FA not have just, you know… explained?
“Why would you even need to explain the importance of having the right flag? This is not representative of an England jersey. I mean, it’s like in The Apprentice with Lord Sugar, when they’re sent to do tasks, and it just seems like a huge bullshit.
England have revealed their new kits ahead of this summer’s Euros – with captain Harry Kane wearing the home shirt.
Sutton’s co-host Ian Ladyman (right) also questioned the kit manufacturer’s decision.
“I’m not going to get angry about it. This is a kit design. But I understand there will be many people across the country who say this doesn’t represent England and shouldn’t represent England. And that’s all.
Ladyman then came back and said: “I think there will be two contrasting views. One will be that it’s modern, it’s new, it doesn’t matter, it’s still a England jersey, there are always three lions on the front, it’s always white.
“And then there will be another view, which is, well, but if you want to have the St. George’s Cross on the England kit, then it has to sort of look like the Cross of Saint George. This will be the alternative point of view.”
Sutton continued: “You have to ask yourself why do this? Why expose yourself to all this noise and comments? Why do it? Why not just have a red one, if you want to have the St. George’s Cross on the kit, just have the St. George’s Cross.
Ladyman then said: “The FA will have had approval for this because it’s their kit. There’s no way they’re going to release a new kit without having their eye on it and sitting there talking about it. And that will have been discussed.”
Sutton finished by saying, “It’s just stupid. It’s so stupid. This is all so stupid. Why would they think about changing things?
Earlier on Thursday, talkSPORT host Simon Jordan also questioned Nike’s decision and hit out at ‘virtue signaling FA’.
He said: “I don’t really understand why Nike wants to present our identity in a playful way.
“Is our national identity a joke, is it something we are ashamed of? I think our national identity is something we should be proud of. I don’t find it offensive, I find it unnecessary.
talkSPORT host Simon Jordan spoke about England kit color change for Euro 2024
“Rather than recover it, we will erect a meaningless cross, which has no value and represents no one.”
“No other country would allow this to happen, they would not allow this to be done on their national jersey.
“This is the same Nike that didn’t even bother to produce Mary Earps shirts.” I don’t think we should take lessons from Nike about the values of this country.
“And the FA is absolutely complicit in this.” The FA will have their fingers of virtue all over this.”