That is credit to Southgate's coaching skill, from his flexible tactical approach during tournaments to his much-praised man management of a squad which appears to have bonds as strong as a club side. "I'll go to a bathroom because of the colour of my skin. I said to them, 'Why do we have to have people with crooked minds?' I said we have people in the military with crooked minds because of people of colour. "I was called in by my commander. He said, 'Mel, I understand the black athletes are prepared to demonstrate.' He said 'I understand you're part of it.' I said, 'I'm not part of anything.' It was, however, a different Canaries side after Smith's first half-time team-talk.