I am proud the game of football is producing thoughtful, brave and reflective leaders

WITH football having returned to our screens, and match reports and transfer gossip filling up social media feeds and newspaper pages, it is easy to feel as though those rhythms of normal life are back.

But as I watched a mesmerising Manchester City attacking display at Newcastle last Sunday I was struck, not only by the brilliance of Pep Guardiola’s side, but also the difference in experiencing football live.

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Troy Deeney and many more recognise they have the ability and the responsibility to do more[/caption]

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Jordan Henderson has also proven himself during lockdown[/caption]

Something that has been a huge part of my life since I was a kid has changed. Hopefully, not for too long. Lots of things have been transformed since the Covid-19 pandemic took a grip on the country back in March.

While there has been tragedy and challenging times for many, there have been positives too. That is why it is great to see football, along with cricket and rugby, coming together with the NHS on its birthday to thank all the key workers with one big final nationwide clap this Sunday at 5pm.

It’s the bus and train drivers, shop workers, delivery drivers, fruit and veg pickers, care workers, binmen and many more who have supported the NHS, and all of us, by keeping the country going during lockdown.

There are other things to be grateful for too. Communities coming together and looking out for each other. Exercise regimes taken up and stuck to. Mental-health worries more easily talked about. And footballers and other athletes finding their voices and stepping up to the plate on a range of issues.

It seems like another world since Health Secretary Matt Hancock asked footballers in April to “do their bit”. I am not sure if Matt is a sports fan, but football and the other sports have been doing their bit in their communities with charities and in schools for years.

But what we have seen during lockdown is young men such as Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Troy Deeney and many more recognise they have the ability and the responsibility to do more. And to speak out with passion and knowledge.

That is not as easy as it sounds. They are taking a risk, especially in the age of social media, when it is easy to be targeted with bad-faith accusations. But I am proud the game of football is producing thoughtful, brave and reflective leaders.

What does this mean for the causes and the societal challenges players have been championing, whether Black Lives Matter, hungry school children, mental health or local partnerships with the NHS?

Well, it is often said that football reflects society. It looks like football is now helping drive societal change. The Government was forced to perform a U-turn on free school meal vouchers over the summer holidays.

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The Government was forced to perform a U-turn on free school meal vouchers over the summer holidays because of Marc Rashford[/caption]

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Raheem Sterling has been speaking out with passion and knowledge[/caption]

Sport governing bodies are now having to review recruitment and diversity policies. And many people, including those who don’t count themselves as sports fans, are reassessing their views on the importance of sport.

Not just as entertainment or as a hobby, but as something that is fundamental to the culture, community, health and well-being of the country.

If we are to build on the positives of lockdown and emerge a better and healthier nation from this incredibly difficult period in our history, we are going to need to listen to a diverse range of voices — and allow them to be heard.

We are going to need to address the health issues — physical and mental — that have been laid bare by Covid-19. And the issues around race, inequality and poverty, education, access to public services and regional disparity.

The pain many have been through and the challenges that lie ahead mean lessons need to be learnt. And change needs to happen.Sport and its stars have shown they are not only part of the discussion, but part of the solution too.

At 5pm this Sunday, raise a glass, share a cuppa or, dare I say it, watch the football with your neighbours, friends or relatives. Applaud all those who are working so hard and sacrificing so much to keep us all going throughout this period.

But think about how we can all help come together, tackle some of these issues and start to build even better communities and a country we can be even more proud of. If footballers can do it, so can we.

Reuters

That is why it is great to see football, along with cricket and rugby, coming together with the NHS on its birthday to thank all the key workers with one big final nationwide clap this Sunday at 5pm[/caption]

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