Arsenal legend Paul Merson has taken a jab at Harry Kane following the England captain’s request for pundits and former players to be more supportive of the team during Euro 2024.
Kane’s plea came after facing recent criticism, particularly from Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer. Lineker had harshly described England’s 1-1 draw with Denmark as “sh*t.”
Despite another lackluster performance in a goalless draw against Slovenia in Cologne, England managed to top their group and will face a yet-to-be-determined third-placed team in the last 16 on Sunday.
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Before the Slovenia game, Kane urged former players now working as pundits to be more positive and remember what it’s like to wear the England shirt before criticizing Gareth Southgate’s side.
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“I would never disrespect any ex-player, Kane said.
“All I would say is remember what it is like to wear the shirt and that their words are listened to. Some of the lads, I don’t know how many, but we do hear it.”
He added: “We all want to win a major tournament and I’m sure they want us to win a major tournament and being as helpful as they can and building the lads up with confidence would be a much better way of going about it.”
In response, Paul Merson couldn’t resist a cheeky dig at the 30-year-old Kane after England’s underwhelming draw with Slovenia.
Paul Merson Mocks Harry Kane After England’s Lackluster Draw Against Slovenia
Kane’s comments were mocked by some, and as England struggled against Slovenia, Arsenal legend Paul Merson took a shot at the former Tottenham striker on X (formerly Twitter).
Merson wrote: “Brilliant first half and lots of shots on goal against the best team in Europe…. (Is that okay Harry?).”
England showed a bit more urgency in the second half, with Southgate’s substitutes making a positive impact, but they couldn’t find a winner.
The final whistle was greeted with boos, and some fans even threw plastic cups in Southgate’s direction as he clapped supporters.
Despite another uninspiring stalemate, Harry Kane tried to highlight the positives, saying:
“I think we can be proud of finishing top. It’s not easy in these major tournaments, as you’ve seen with other nations, other big nations, in the tournament already not finishing top, so we can enjoy this for sure.”
He added: “Another good clean sheet, which we’re going to need if we want to go far in this tournament, that’s for sure, so credit to the boys for that. We enjoy it and move on to the next round.”
For the first time in a long while, England’s players and manager are facing widespread criticism for their performances.
Although they topped their Euros group and made it to the last 16, they don’t seem like a team poised to end their long wait for an international trophy.
England’s next match is on Sunday evening, where they might face the Netherlands or the third-placed team from Group E.
With only one win so far, they’ll need to rediscover their winning form in the knockout stages to advance further.
