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England manager Gareth Southgate has said that football must look after Ivan Toney and that his four-match ban will not impact his chances of being called up for Euro 2024.
Toney was banned for four matches by the Football Association (FA) after being found guilty of making a discriminatory remark towards a Brighton and Hove Albion player during a Premier League match in December.
The Brentford striker has since apologized for his actions, and Southgate has said that he believes Toney is a “talented player” who has the potential to play for England at the next European Championship.
“We have to look after Ivan,” Southgate said. “He’s a talented player, and we want to make sure that he’s in the best possible place to develop and reach his potential.
“The ban is a punishment, but it’s also an opportunity for Ivan to learn from his mistake and come back stronger.”
Southgate also said that he would not rule Toney out of contention for Euro 2024.
“We’re always looking at players who are playing well,” Southgate said. “Ivan is one of those players, and we’ll be keeping an eye on him.”
Toney has been in good form for Brentford this season, scoring 12 goals in 23 Premier League appearances. He has also been called up to the England Under-21 squad.
If Toney can continue his good form, he will be a strong contender for a place in the England squad for Euro 2024.
In addition to his comments on Toney, Southgate also spoke about the importance of tackling discrimination in football.
“We need to make sure that football is a safe and welcoming place for everyone,” Southgate said. “There is no place for discrimination in our game.”
Southgate’s comments come at a time when football is facing a number of challenges in tackling discrimination. In recent months, there have been a number of high-profile incidents of racism and homophobia in the sport.
Southgate said that he believes that football has a “responsibility” to tackle discrimination.
“We need to be at the forefront of tackling discrimination,” Southgate said. “We have a responsibility to make sure that football is a safe and welcoming place for everyone.”
Southgate’s comments have been welcomed by anti-discrimination campaigners.
“It’s important that football’s leaders speak out against discrimination,” said Kick It Out CEO Tony Burnett. “Gareth Southgate’s comments are a welcome step in the right direction.”
Burnett also called on the FA to do more to tackle discrimination in football.
“The FA needs to take concrete steps to tackle discrimination,” Burnett said. “This includes introducing a new code of conduct for players and officials, and providing more support for victims of discrimination.”
Southgate’s comments are a positive step in the fight against discrimination in football. However, it is important that the FA and other football authorities follow up on these comments with concrete action. Only then can football truly be a safe and welcoming place for everyone.
