England legend David Seaman has claimed players would have ‘said no’ to Nike’s altered version of the St George’s flag if they had been consulted.
The FA and manufacturers Nike doubled down on the design and insisted they have no plans to recall the shirt.
Nike describes the navy blue, light blue and purple colors as a ‘playful update’ to the nation’s flag. They say the altered kit is not virtue signaling but instead a nod to the 1966 World Cup winners.
The kit, which is now on sale, will be worn by the Three Lions in their friendly against Brazil at Wembley on Saturday.
Former England goalkeeper Seaman believes members of the England squad would have rejected the updated flag.
England’s new shirt features a modified design of the St George’s cross, which features a red, navy blue and purple design
Former England goalkeeper David Seaman believes players of his generation would have refused to wear the new kit
The launch of England’s new kit for the 2024 Euros has been met with widespread fury
Seaman told talkSPORT if Nike had approached the players ‘they would have said no’
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Seaman, who won 75 caps for England between 1988 and 2002, told talkSPORT he believed many of his generation of players would have refused to wear it.
‘It’s not broken, it doesn’t need fixing. What’s next, should we change the three lions to three cats? Don’t,’ said Seaman.
‘I had that situation when I wore the red kit for Euro 96 and I said “can I wear it?”
“But this is different, it’s St. George’s flag, leave it alone, you know. I’m sure if they had approached the boys and asked them about it, they would have said no.
‘I just don’t know how far down the line it goes before it passes. Just let it be!’
England’s most capped men’s player, Peter Shilton, said today: ‘This is wrong on every level. I am totally against it. Including the price that Nike will take.
‘I don’t agree with that. It has woken up. If you’re going to put the St George’s Cross on a kit, which Nike have obviously done, just wear it in the traditional colours. Like the three lions, it is traditional’.
Former England striker Brian Deane claimed that Nike and the FA had ‘scored an own goal’ by agreeing to change the St. George’s flag.
“I don’t see why there’s a need to change it, it’s almost like trying to erase how things have been in the past and I don’t think that’s appropriate in this case,” Deane said. 1337. Games.
The FA and manufacturers Nike doubled down on the design and claimed they have no plans to recall the shirts
The kit designer revealed the update to the St Georges cross was to ‘unite and inspire’
The England team will benefit from technology developed in the Nike Sport Research Lab, which has been implemented in the new playing shirts
‘It’s very symbolic for a lot of people in this country and whatever the branding or the fashion, I think it’s not relevant and I think they’ve scored an own goal to be honest.
“It’s just something that people will feel like their rights have been eroded away, and it’s pretty inflammatory as you can see from the backlash.”
England’s most capped men’s player, Peter Shilton, said today: ‘This is wrong on every level. I am totally against it. Including the price that Nike will take.
‘I don’t agree with that. It has woken up. If you’re going to put the St George’s Cross on a kit, which Nike have obviously done, just wear it in the traditional colours. Like the three lions, it is traditional’.
Former Football Association boss Adrian Bevington today admitted he would not have signed the new shirt, saying: ‘It’s our flag. It’s a national identity, and I just don’t really think it should be changed’.
Culture Minister Lucy Frazer tweeted: ‘Fans must always come first and clearly that’s not what fans want. ‘Our national heritage – including St George’s Cross – brings us together. Playing with it is pointless and unnecessary.’
More than 16,000 people have signed an online petition to scrap the new jersey and start over, and an online campaign to boycott Nike is in full swing as critics are tired of national pride being painted as a negative thing – or even equated with racism.
Peter Shilton, another England legend, is outraged by the decision
Nike and England’s management have sparked anger and disbelief by signing off on a ‘legend’ redesign and turning the flag light blue and purple.
Adrian Bevington, the former FA chief executive, told talkSPORT he would not have signed the shirt.
He said: ‘I think it’s an emotional subject and it was always going to cause the presumption that we have.
‘I always try to look at it from all sides and I understand from Nike’s perspective that they are looking to push all the time and be cutting edge and as modern as they can be in the different markets they serve.
‘But… it’s our flag. When the matches take place, especially during the tournament, you will see the stadium completely flooded with the cross of St. George hanging everywhere.
‘It’s a national identity and I just don’t really think it should be changed. And it’s going to upset a lot of people because people feel passionate about this.’
But he added: ‘It might end up selling more sets to them, who knows, commercially it might drive it with the hype it’s created. If I had been in a position to opt out or not, I wouldn’t have opted out of it personally.’
The US firm claims the change came from the training kit worn by England’s 1966 World Cup winning team and was intended to honor the ‘classic colourway’.
Politicians and pundits have become embroiled in the dispute, with even Sir Keir Starmer saying the original colors were ‘unifying’ and questioning why they had been changed.
This was told by Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer The sun: ‘I’m a big football fan, I go to England games, men’s, women’s games.
‘And the flag is used by everyone, it’s unifying, it doesn’t need to change.
‘We just have to be proud of it. So I think they should just rethink this and change it back.’
Despite the backlash, Nike will not make any changes to the shirt, which is said to have been ‘flying off the shelves’ since it was released on Monday.
Insiders have acknowledged the use of clumsy language in a Nike tweet that spoke of ‘a playful update’ which ‘appears on the collar to unite and inspire’ – but there are no plans to change that.
A Nike spokesman said: ‘The England 2024 Home kit disrupts history with a modern take on a classic.
‘The trim on the cuffs takes its cue from the training kit worn by England’s 1966 heroes, with a gradient of blue and red topped with purple.
‘The same colors also have an interpretation of St. George’s flag on the back of the collar.’
The shirt also has the full backing of the FA, who are understood to ‘stand by it completely’.