- The great footballer is a well-known staunch Republican.
- He was invited to an event on the Australian royal tour
Socceroos legend Craig Foster has been criticized for the way he turned down the opportunity to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla on their upcoming tour of Australia.
The former co-chair of the Australian Republican Movement recently received an invitation from New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and his wife Anna to attend a function where he would be “in the presence” of the royal couple, who will begin their trip to Australia on October 18. .
Foster took to X to respond: ‘Thank you Anna and @ChrisMinnsMP. But no thanks. I look forward to being “in the presence of” our first Australian Head of State. When we put on big pants, as a country.’
His statement sparked a wave of criticism from Australians, with many accusing him of grandstanding in making his thoughts public.
‘Why the need to decline so publicly?’ wrote television entertainment reporter Peter Ford.
“I can’t stand Charlie either, but you can safely decline an invitation in private,” said another commenter.
‘What a teenage exhibitionist post. “No one cares,” wrote a third.
‘Name one person we can all agree on as head of state. We would choose a pop star. He is a great King. Show some humility and leave,’ added another.
Socceroos football great Craig Foster has been branded a “teenager” and a “man child” as he divided Australians with his harsh response to an invitation to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The royals will begin their tour of Australia on October 18
Foster received heavy criticism for this post on X, with many criticizing him for not keeping his reaction private.
Other Australians told Foster that the King and Queen would not even notice his absence.
“King Charles III will be devastated by this snub,” one wrote, while others said: “The man child will not be missed” and “Who is Craig Foster?”
Former Victorian Labor MP Philip Dalidakis did not hold back in his criticism.
“What a forgiving child you are @Craig_Foster,” he wrote.
‘First of all, make yourself noticed by showing everyone that you were invited to the State Community Reception for the King. I hope they don’t make that mistake again.
‘Secondly, share the invitation publicly and embarrass Mrs. Minns by declining the invitation.
‘Thirdly, whatever you think of Charles and the monarchy, he still deserves respect for the work he does and the causes he champions. “I too am a supporter of @AusRepublic and look forward to the day we have our own head of state, but until he tries to show a bit of class.”
However, many Australians backed the 55-year-old’s anti-royal stance.
‘Yeah. It’s time to stand up for ourselves,” one of them wrote.
“Thank you for not supporting those who ‘represent’ us, solely because they were born in a selective medieval breeding program, accumulating wealth and power to pass on to the next generation,” said another.
Former Victorian MP Philip Dalidakis didn’t hold back when responding to Foster
‘Thank you for speaking out on behalf of the majority of Australians. Why are we wasting tax $$$ on these parasites?’ added a third.
Foster made headlines in May when he resigned as co-chairman of ARM along with Australian Olympic great Nova Peris.
Ms Peris said her decision to resign was due to her belief that Mr Foster’s decision to write to Football Australia, the International Federation of Football Association and the West Asian Football Federation asking them to suspend Israel from an upcoming FIFA conference “had created division.” ‘.
The former Socceroos star posted his letter online, explaining that the International Court of Justice had deemed Israel’s actions a “plausible genocide.”
“All members of the football community and its governing body, Football Australia, have a duty to do everything possible to stop genocide wherever and whenever it occurs,” he said.
But Peris said his comments had created division not only within ARM but also across the country.
