England, Scotland renew rivalry

AFP, LONDON: England and Scotland renew the oldest rivalry in international football on Friday in a 2018 World Cup qualifier that has been dogged by a pre-match row about commemorative poppies.
The football associations of both countries have pledged to defy a FIFA ban on political, religious or commercial symbols by wearing black armbands with red poppy emblems.
It leaves both teams at risk of sanctions from FIFA, but England and Scotland are determined to observe the custom, by which people in Britain pay respect to the country's war dead on November 11.
“As head coach, I was keen for us to wear poppies,” interim England manager Gareth Southgate said this week.
“It's important we represent the nation and wearing the poppy is the right thing to do.”
Players on both sides have backed the stance taken by their national associations.
But the risk of punishment by world governing body FIFA has led Northern Ireland to decide to wear plain black armbands without poppies on for their home game with Azerbaijan on the same day.
On the sporting front, Friday's game at Wembley represents Southgate's penultimate opportunity to show his Football Association bosses he deserves to be awarded the manager's job full-time.
Southgate was promoted from his role as England Under-21 coach when Sam Allardyce was brought down by a newspaper sting after just one match at the helm.
His four-game tenure has been underwhelming so far, with a laboured 2-0 win over Malta followed by a 0-0 draw away to Slovenia in which England were indebted to the reflexes of goalkeeper Joe Hart

England, Scotland renew rivalry

AFP, LONDON: England and Scotland renew the oldest rivalry in international football on Friday in a 2018 World Cup qualifier that has been dogged by a pre-match row about commemorative poppies. The football associations of both countries have pledged to defy a FIFA ban on political, religious or commercial symbols by wearing black armbands with red poppy emblems. It leaves both teams at risk of sanctions from FIFA, but England and Scotland are determined to observe the custom, by which people in Britain pay respect to the countrys war dead on November 11. As head coach, I was keen for us to wear poppies, interim England manager Gareth Southgate said this week. Its important we represent the nation and wearing the poppy is the right thing to do. Players on both sides have backed the stance taken by their national associations. But the risk of punishment by world governing body FIFA has led Northern Ireland to decide to wear plain black armbands without poppies on for their home game with Azerbaijan on the same day. On the sporting front, Fridays game at Wembley represents Southgates penultimate opportunity to show his Football Association bosses he deserves to be awarded the managers job full-time. Southgate was promoted from his role as England Under-21 coach when Sam Allardyce was brought down by a newspaper sting after just one match at the helm. His four-game tenure has been underwhelming so far, with a laboured 2-0 win over Malta followed by a 0-0 draw away to Slovenia in which England were indebted to the reflexes of goalkeeper Joe Hart