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JOE COLE has hit out at the FA over the England kit fiasco.Manufacturer Nike and the FA have come under fire for changes made to the St. George’s flag.Joe Cole branded the FA ‘incompetent’ over the flag controversyCredit: RexEngland’s new kit has an adapted St George’s flag on itCredit: EPAInstead of the traditional red Nike created a design with two shades of blue and purple as the horizontal line.Fans and some pundits have reacted with fury, but the FA have stated the kit will not be recalled.Former England player Cole, while working on Channel 4’s coverage of the Three Lions’ clash with Brazil, criticised the FA for incompetence over the flag and slammed the inflated price of the shirts – which cost up to an eye-watering £125.He said: “From a footballing perspective, it’s the last thing that Gareth will want to deal with. I thought he dealt with it unbelievably well.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”He talked about the fact we had St George’s flags on the kit before and we haven’t. We’ve always had the Three Lions because that’s what the England football team represents.”I think what’s happened here is some people at Nike have tried to make something artistic connected to it. Someone at the FA… I think a bit of incompetence has come in because you want a lovely kit that’s at a reasonable price. The kit is overpriced at the moment, in my opinion.”Somebody at the FA should have gone, “You know what, that could be perceived as this. Gareth doesn’t need it. The lads don’t need it. Let’s just concentrate on the football”. That hasn’t happened. It’s not a big deal in the scheme of things.”England boss Gareth Southgate had his say on the controversy, suggesting it is not the St. George’s flag.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHe said: “If it’s not white with a red cross, it’s not the St George’s flag.“I am a huge patriot. I believe we should celebrate St George’s Day more than we do.Gareth Southgate has his say on change to England kit”People don’t think we should change the flag of St George.“If it’s changed then it isn’t the flag of St George. So I’m a little bit lost with that element of it.“I think they can put a quirky design together but you can’t say it’s the flag of St George because it isn’t. It’s therefore something else.” More

FA CHIEFS are set to change the approval process of future England kits following the furore over the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 strip.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are among those to have condemned the Three Lions’ new home kit.The new England shirt has sparked a huge reactionCredit: AlamyThe altered St George’s Cross has drawn criticism from politiciansCredit: ReutersNike have defended their decision to alter the colours on the St George’s Cross located on the shirt’s collar.But according to the Telegraph, FA chiefs will “overhaul” how England kits are approved in future.They add that the Three Lions’ 2026 World Cup kit will face a new vetting process in order to avoid similar controversy in future.An FA statement on Friday reiterated its pride in the red and white St George’s Cross.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt read: “The new England 2024 home kit has a number of design elements which were meant as a tribute to the 1966 World Cup-winning team.”The coloured trim on the cuffs is inspired by the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, and the same colours also feature on the design on the back of the collar.”It is not the first time that different coloured St George’s cross-inspired designs have been used on England shirts.”We are very proud of the red and white St George’s cross – the England flag.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER”We understand what it means to our fans, and how it unites and inspires, and it will be displayed prominently at Wembley – as it always is – when England play Brazil.”Meanwhile, PM Sunak said: “When it comes to our national flags, we shouldn’t mess with them because they’re a source of pride, identity, who we are, and they’re perfect as they are.”Keir Starmer blasts hated change to England footie shirt on Sun’s new politics show and demands kits must be cheaperLabour leader Starmer told The Sun’s Harry Cole: “I’m a big football fan, I go to England games, men, women’s games.”And the flag is used by everybody, it’s unifying, it doesn’t need to change.”We just need to be proud of it. So I think they should just reconsider this and change it back.”Asked about the shirt in his press conference ahead of tonight’s clash with Brazil, Gareth Southgate said: “I don’t know if the debate is about the St George flag needing to be on the England shirt because obviously it has not always been.”I think the most important thing that has to be on our shirt is the Three Lions. It’s our iconic symbol.”It’s what distinguishes us from football teams around the world and England rugby and England cricket.READ MORE SUN STORIES”I suppose what you’re really asking is should we be tampering with the cross of St George, in my head if it’s not a red cross and white background then it’s not the cross of St George.”It’s a hard question to answer. It’s presumably some artistic take on [the flag] which I’m not creative enough to understand.”Gareth Southgate gave his verdict on the new kitCredit: Getty More

ENGLAND’S new shirt and its “woke” cross will NOT be recalled by the FA – despite a massive backlash. Legends and fans alike slammed the new kit, which has St George’s Cross made up with purple and blue horizontal stripes. Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton has said he is ‘totally against’ the new shirtNike revealed it had altered St George’s Cross using purple and blue horizontal stripesCredit: Nike/X
Nike revealed it had altered the cross in what it called a “playful update” to the shirt ahead of Euro 2024.The US firm said the colours were inspired by the training kit worn by England’s 1966 World Cup winners.Some football pundits and fans criticised the design and price of the shirt since it was launched earlier this week.The FA told The Times: “The new England 2024 Home kit has a number of design elements which were meant as a tribute to the 1966 World Cup winning team.Read more on football”The coloured trim on the cuffs is inspired by the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, and the same colours also feature on the design on the back of the collar.”It is not the first time that different coloured St George’s cross-inspired designs have been used on England shirts.”We are very proud of the red and white St George’s cross – the England flag.”We understand what it means to our fans, and how it unites and inspires, and it will be displayed prominently at Wembley tomorrow – as it always is – when England play Brazil.” Most read in FootballEarlier today footie legends like Harry Redknapp, Peter Shilton and David Seaman weighed in on the saga. Redknapp this morning blasted the decision as “an absolute disgrace”.England shirt with ‘woke’ cross will NOT be recalled by the FA despite backlash from legends and fansHe slammed: “I’ve seen plenty of own goals in my time, but this has to be the worst ever.”Who on earth thought this was a good idea? It’s the cross of St George, red and white…would Nike do this with another country’s national flag?”It’s something that should be respected, not changed for a bit of playful fun, as they put it.”In my book it’s an absolute disgrace – I hope they see sense and have a rethink.”Former England goalkeeper Shilton also has his say – announcing he was “totally against” the new shirt.He told GB News: “I am totally against it, which I don’t think is a surprise. I mean I am a traditionalist, really.”I think we have seen a lot of design changes on shirts and that’s to get the fans to buy the new shirt every time it changes.”But now they are messing with the colours on a national flag and you know, where would it stop once it starts?”Is the next shirt going to have more changes in the colour? So I am against it, I think it is wrong.Colin Robertson says… shame on themBY Colin Robertson
So that’s it then?
We’re now supposed to be ashamed of our national flag for the one event pretty much everyone could agree on its use?
American firm Nike’s decision to respin our simple flag on the new England kit into some sort of patriotically fluid symbol is the epitome of culture war vandalism.
Tradition and history don’t play well for greedy corporate firms.They like meaningless b*ks that “represents everyone” and offends no-one.
Some millennial wazzock with a PhD in Wokeism will have doubtless pointed out five reasons why the St George’s Cross is just a vulgar symbol of oppression.
Far better to slowly eradicate it and create something new and meaningless and then pretend it’s progress.
And hey, their corporate customers, usually paranoid of giving offence, will thank them for it.
Just like the FA, stuck in its own woke groove, has done. Shame on them. Because the idea that this bastardisation is, as Nike has claimed, just a “playful update to the flag of St George…to unite and inspire” is utter cobblers and borderline offensive.
What is more uniting than following the national football team while proudly wearing the flag of your country?
We don’t want or need a new flag, playful or otherwise, to represent England. We have one already St George’s Cross?
He’d be f***ing furious.

“It is only a small change, but I think it could be the start of more changes.”That’s the way I look on it, once you start changing the colour. I mean the Three Lions is obviously traditional and the fans love that.”I am very surprised to be fair that the FA agreed to this but it’s all about money and making money and if the shirt sponsor says look ‘we’d like to do this’ then sometimes you get maybe members at the FA who think, ‘Oh well, we are getting paid well for it.’ ‘You know, we won’t bother’.”But I think it is a precedent that we don’t want, you know, other things to suddenly change on the next England shirt, and you know maybe, you know a pink band going round the middle of the shirt – I mean you don’t know do you what they are going to change.”Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has also slammed the new kit.Meanwhile former England goalie Seaman, who played 75 times for his country, said “leave it alone”.He said: “It doesn’t need fixing. What’s next, are they going to change the Three Lions to three cats? Leave it alone.”It’s the St George’s Flag. Leave it alone. I’m sure that if they’d approached the lads and asked them about it, they would have said no. Just leave it alone.”It’s almost like trying to erase how things have been in the past and I don’t think it’s appropriate in this case.Brian DeaneBrian Deane, who played as a forward from 1985 until 2006, branded the kit “ridiculous”.He told The Sun: “Some people would say it’s just a small detail, but personally I think there are some things that should just be kept as they are.”Sometimes when you try and make advances and develop it doesn’t always suit everybody, and certainly from the point of view of someone like myself who has played for England, the St George’s Cross has always been red, and many people of an older generation will take offence to that. I can understand why.”I don’t see why there is a need to change it. It’s almost like trying to erase how things have been in the past and I don’t think it’s appropriate in this case.”It’s very symbolic to a lot of people in this country and for whatever reason, branding or fashion, I don’t think it’s relevant and I think they’ve scored an own goal to be honest.”It’s just something that people will feel as though they’re rights are eroded away and it’s quite inflammatory as you can see from the backlash.”It comes after Sir Keir Starmer called on Nike to change the colour back to the traditional red.A Nike spokesperson told The Mail,: “The England 2024 Home kit disrupts history with a modern take on a classic.READ MORE SUN STORIES”The trim on the cuffs takes its cues from the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, with a gradient of blues and reds topped with purple.”The same colours also feature an interpretation of the flag of St. George on the back of the collar.” England shirt change controversyThe latest Three Lions strip came under heavy fire after a sudden change.
The Three Lions’ strips were unveiled on Monday with the traditional red cross altered to one with navy, light blue and purple.
But Nike and the FA have “no plans” to recall the new England home kit amid a row over its altered St George’s flag.
Both the home and away kits were released earlier this week, with England set to debut them during the upcoming March internationals.
It is thought to be a nod to the 1966 World Cup winners’ training kit – which contained blue, red and purple.
The change led to some labelling the shirt “woke” as they called on the manufacturer to revert back to the usual colours.
But according to The Mail, Nike will not succumb to pressure from some England fans.
It is thought to be a nod to the 1966 World Cup winners’ training kit – which contained blue, red and purple.
The change led to some labelling the shirt “woke” as they called on the manufacturer to revert back to the usual colours.
But according to The Mail, Nike will not succumb to pressure from some England fans.
It is understood the flag alteration was the work of a Nike designer, but was also signed off by the FA.
And the FA insist the decision was made to “honour the classic colour regime of 1966 training gear”.
New kit releases are one of the highlights in the build-up to a summer tournament, but England fans have also been left frustrated by the cost of the Three Lions’ new jerseys.
England’s “authentic” home and away shirts for the European Championships have been priced at £124.99 for adults and a whopping £119.99 for children. More