Gareth Southgate: England manager says COVID-19 vaccine abuse will stop players speaking up – The Athletic

Gareth Southgate believes the online abuse he was hit with after encouraging COVID-19 vaccine take-up will stop players “speaking up”.

The England manager was targeted with abuse online after presenting a video for the United Kingdom’s NHS after Euro 2020.

He admitted he could understand others deciding not to put themselves in the same situation.

“I recognise that others might feel less comfortable and have some anxiety,” he said.

“That’s why it’s a bit more complicated and I guess that would be why perhaps they might feel less confident about speaking up.

“If you’re receiving messages when you support the programme that say ‘You could be up in front of a Nuremberg-type trial in 10 years’ and people are quite vicious with comments, it does make you think twice about speaking out.

“Because what if you are on the wrong side? At the moment I couldn’t be sure I am on the right side. I am comfortable that I’ve had the vaccine.

“I’m comfortable that I think it was the right thing to do a video for the NHS. But I also recognise that others might not be so keen to put themselves in that situation.”

There are currently concerns over vaccine takeup among players in the English game. Under half of all players at most Premier League and EFL clubs have had the COVID-19 vaccine.

Southgate suggested players, due to their youth, were susceptible to online conspiracy theory. “At their age they are more open to some of these conspiracy theories.

“They are reading social media more, they are perhaps more vulnerable to those sort of views.

“From what I can see there is a bit of confusion around.”

(Photo: Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

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