Roy Keane made waves in the media as he unleashed his fury on Harry Maguire for his gesture after scoring England's opening goal against Albania.
The Man United centre-back's attempt to silence the critics was 'embarrassing', as per Keane.
Gareth Southgate, meanwhile, has taken a philosophical approach to the controversy.
"I think we have to understand that in the industry we are in there are different roles," Southgate who worked with Keane as a pundit for a while told a press conference.
"In order to make a living, you have to take certain approaches. You have a choice of approach.
"I was always thinking, as an ex-player and manager, how difficult those things were. I had empathy for those stepping over the line to play and in the dugout.
"It really depends on what you need to do to stay in work. Some channels and forums require headlines. I understand that. To stay relevant, you’ve got to say things that are more quotable."
Harry Maguire has already sought to defuse the tensions as he insisted that he was not addressing any particular critic. In any case, we'd love him to silence some of them with his performances on the pitch.
