Eric Dier calls for England fans to show respect

ByEurosport

Published 24/03/2017 at 17:08 GMT

England's Eric Dier called on his country's fans to "support us in the right way" following criticism of their chanting during this week's friendly international against Germany in Dortmund.

English FA officials are liaising with the UK Football Policing Unit as they review video footage of the match on Wednesday after some supporters booed the German national anthem and sang songs about World War Two.

England play Lithuania in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley on Sunday, a game that will be marked by high security following Wednesday's attack in Westminster in which at least four people died.

"With the dreadful things that have happened in London we ask fans to respect that, and we as players will do our best to honour the people that passed away this week," Dier told reporters on Friday.

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Dier said he did not hear the chanting from supporters in Germany, which was described as "disrespectful and disappointing" by English FA officials and widely condemned in the British media.

England fans

Image credit: Reuters

"When you're on the pitch you don't hear anything really. I only heard about it afterwards, I didn't hear anything whilst I was playing," he said.

"In general the fans have been fantastic wherever we go. The support they give us is amazing but all we ask is that they support us in the right way."

FA chairman Greg Clarke led the condemnation of the chanting.

"The behaviour of a section of the England support in Dortmund ... was inappropriate, disrespectful and disappointing," he said.

"The FA has consistently urged supporters to show respect and not to chant songs that could be regarded as insulting to others.

Individuals who engage in such behaviour do not represent the overwhelming majority of England fans nor the values and identity we should aspire to as a football nation.

Any members of the England Supporters Travel Club found to have been involved with the anti-social behaviour face a possible order banning them from attending games.

The England fans' behaviour was described by former Tottenham Hotspur manager David Pleat on the BBC as "pathetic ignorance" that was "scarring our reputation around the world".

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