England’s young squad must be protected from persistent media and fan pressure if they are to achieve long-term success, former Arsenal and France midfielder Patrick Vieira has said ahead of this month’s World Cup finals.
British media has been criticised in the past for their coverage of England players.
“(Harry) Kane, (Raheem) Sterling, Dele Alli, (Eric) Dier, all young and talented so you have the pieces to work well. You have a coach who cares greatly,” Vieira told The Times.
“Now as a first step it is about showing that they can thrive in the shirt, protecting them a little. Maybe everyone has a part to play in that — not just the coaches but the fans, the media. They are so exposed.
“So much focus in England about what the player’s wife does. I think they need to be protected from negative pressure and then they can start to show what they have.”