TheEdge & Sun-181023

theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7783 7435 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] or download app from the App Store or Google PlayTM . Read iPaper at www.thesundaily.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download SCAN ME WEDNESDAY • OCTOBER 18, 2023 Hendo still has Southgate England boss continues to show loyalty despite controversial Saudi move I T was a character reference for a man who has become an ambassador of sorts for Saudi Arabia. The England faithful – or some of them, anyway – had turned on Jordan Henderson when he was booed off in Friday’s win over Australia. The England manager offered an endorsement of his vice-captain: not merely as a midfielder, either, but as a principled individual. The Henderson of Al-Ettifaq, the man who used to support the NHS and the LGBTQ community instead plugging Saudi’s 2034 World Cup bid, stands accused of either being the opposite of the Liverpool incarnation or a figure whose decision to join the Saudi Pro League led him to become a public face of a repressive regime. Gareth Southgate can see why many have a sense of disappointment, why there is a seeming contradiction. Yet he also argued that Henderson remains the same person, one who has helped create the right kind of culture with England. “What I do understand is that people would feel that the decision Jordan would go and play there doesn’t align with his strong support of the LGBTQ community in the past,” he said. “I have not seen him comment anywhere differently. I don’t believe he is an individual whose values and principles have changed. “I would back him against pretty much anyone in the country in terms of what he stands for and what he believes in but I accept that the decision to go and play there doesn’t align that. He understands that; he accepts that.” But Southgate does not appreciate the jeers. “We have had a couple of incidents that I don’t understand because I don’t think any player wearing an England shirt warrants that,” he added. “I grew up seeing John Barnes receive that kind of criticism so that has never helped the team.” But if others were booed for their skin colour, Henderson has brought a reaction with his apparent hypocrisy has drawn. Deliberately or otherwise, Southgate drew a distinction between Harry Maguire, barracked mercilessly by Scotland supporters at Hampden Park last month but normally hailed by England fans, if not all of their Manchester United counterparts, and Henderson. Issues feel unavoidable until Southgate drops them, and thus far he has shown no willingness to do that. “I will always pick the players that I think are the best players to represent the team, that give us the best chance of winning, unless there is something I think is not appropriate,” he said, with the clear inference that Henderson, who captained his country against Australia, has not breached his code. “People may disagree with Jordan’s decision, given the stance he has taken in the past to support the LGBT community, but I don’t think that is a reason to not select him and I don’t actually think that is a reason to boo him.” If the stubbornness in Southgate has become more apparent, so has the loyalty towards his stalwarts; in September, he branded the treatment of Maguire “a joke”. The former Liverpool captain and the deposed United skipper, he said, have helped bring the “unmeasurable factors” of team spirit and togetherness. It gives them credit in the bank, if not necessarily forever. “It wouldn’t be fair to say I am going to support them regardless if better, younger players come through but I am also going to defend our team because we need that strength and the two players you are talking about have performed again and again in massive games,” he said. The wider question, separated from the moral issue, is whether Henderson, playing his trade in a far weaker domestic league and in debilitating heat, remains a good enough player to retain his place. – The Independent CRISTIANO RONALDO struck twice as Roberto Martinez’s relentless Portugal thrashed Bosnia and Herzegovina 5-0 yesterday in Euro 2024 qualifying. Portugal, who booked their place at the tournament in Germany next summer with a win over Slovakia last Friday, continued their superb form under the Spanish coach with their eighth victory in eight games since he arrived. Ronaldo netted his 126th and 127th Portugal goals, further extending his record as the top alltime men’s international goalscorer. Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes added the third before Barcelona duo Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix joined in the fun, all before halftime. Bosnia, led by veteran target-man Edin Dzeko, languish fifth and can no longer progress from the group, after Slovakia beat Luxembourg 1-0. Bosnia have two games remaining and are seven points behind second-placed Slovakia in Group J, with Portugal the runaway leaders. Martinez’s side have scored 32 goals and only conceded twice, racking up all 24 points possible so far. Al-Nassr striker Ronaldo, 38, opened the scoring from the penalty spot and dinked home his second with a neat finish, but was replaced by Martinez after 65 minutes, while still in search of his hattrick. The former Real Madrid forward was also confronted by a pitch invader shortly before halftime, but stewards swiftly intervened. Fernandes and Cancelo finished with sublime accuracy and power as the hosts’ defence crumbled miserably, while Felix stroked in the fifth. Bosnia tightened up in the second half but it was far too little, far too late. Austria sealed a place at Euro 2024 yesterday but Sweden missed out on the finals for the first time in 28 years on a night in which their fixture with Belgium was abandoned at halftime after two Swedish nationals were shot dead in Brussels. Austria’s 1-0 victory over Azerbaijan, earned via a second half penalty from substitute Marcel Sabitzer following Rahil Mammadov’s handball, was enough to book a ticket for next year’s tournament in Germany at the expense of the Swedes. Virgil van Dijk stepped up to fire the Netherlands onto the verge of Euro 2024 qualification after netting an injury-time penalty to beat Greece 1-0. Fans praised Van Dijk’s ‘balls of steel’ on social media as the 32-year-old had to wait three minutes before taking the spot kick following a VAR check and ignore lasers being shone on his face from the home end. One fan on X commented: “Calm and composed, the lasers aren’t enough.” A second commented “Ice in his veins”, while a third fan referring to the penalty he missed for his country in the World Cup in Qatar said: “That’s what big players do. Redemption.” While a fourth added: “Carrying the Netherlands on his back once again.” Speaking at fulltime, Van Dijk said: “Greece kept winning in this group and we kept chasing them, but we beat Greece twice and now we are the ones in the driving seat. Now we have to finish the job to qualify, and we will.” Ireland cruised to a 4-0 win over Gibraltar with goals from teenager Evan Ferguson, Michael Johnston, Matt Doherty and Callum Robinson but they were already unable to qualify. Slovakia took a giant step towards qualifying for a third successive Euros as they beat Luxembourg 1-0 with a David Duris goal 13 minutes from time in Group J. Gylfi Sigurdsson scored twice as fourthplaced Iceland defeated Liechtenstein 4-0 in the other match in the group. – AFP/Reuters Portugal thrash Bosnia, Austria seal Euro 2024 place █ RICHARD JOLLY Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (centre) in action with Bosnia’s Sead Kolasinac (left) and Jusuf Gazibegovic during their EURO 2024 qualification match. – REUTERSPIX