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Declan Rice pledges future to England

KingNothing

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2013
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1,355
Declan Rice has informed the FA of Ireland, that he has chosen to play for England. Rice has payed for the u-16, u-17, u-19, u-21 and has 3 appearances for at senior level.
He probably realised that England are short on defensive midfielders, and has taken the opportunity to reach more european championships and world cups.

https://www.skysports.com/football/...-to-play-for-england-over-republic-of-ireland
West Ham's Declan Rice chooses to play for England over Republic of Ireland
West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has pledged his international future to England.

Rice, 20, has won three senior Republic of Ireland caps, all in friendlies, having played for his grandparents' country since under-16 level.

In August the Londoner said he needed time to decide his future, as winning a competitive cap for the Republic would have tied him to the country.
"This has been an extremely difficult decision," he said.

Rice, who has made 59 appearances for West Ham, has excelled this season in a defensive midfield role for the Hammers.

In a long statement on Twitter, he said: "I consider myself to be of mixed nationality. I have equal respect for both England and Ireland and therefore the national team I choose to represent is not a clear-cut, simple selection.

"Ultimately, it is a personal decision I have made with my heart and my head, based on what I believe is best for my future.

"I would also like to make it clear that, in requesting to transfer my national team representation, I am not taking for granted a call-up to the England squad."

Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy said: "Declan rang me today and said he has decided to give it a go with England. Good luck to him."
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
Surely he must have known this would be the reaction. Has to deal with this for the rest of his life now. Good luck to him though
I doubt he cares, and it's not as if England and Ireland will be playing each every year so it'll be quickly forgotten after his first few caps.


I think the bigger issue is someone can play three times for a country and then change when a bigger country comes in for them.
 

Yid-ol

Just-outside Edinburgh
Jan 16, 2006
31,097
19,276
I doubt he cares, and it's not as if England and Ireland will be playing each every year so it'll be quickly forgotten after his first few caps.


I think the bigger issue is someone can play three times for a country and then change when a bigger country comes in for them.

Non competitive game's I am guessing?
 

Yid-ol

Just-outside Edinburgh
Jan 16, 2006
31,097
19,276
Friendly or not a full cap is a full cap for me. Once you've played that the decision is made.

It will just mean the bigger nation's will give young players a game in meaningless games to tie them to that country. But then I think it should be where you are born or your parents and not going back any further.
 
Jan 28, 2011
5,645
78,675
There are those who will criticise Declan Rice for this decision, but it should be noted that he's only following the lead of his club captain, the one and only Mark Noble.

Noble was also eligible for Ireland and England, yet decided at an early age that, when it came to international football, that it was England or nothing.

Or England and nothing, as it turned out...

 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
Non competitive game's I am guessing?
Only friendlies, but I don't think it should matter.

A solution I can think of to your second post is if someone is picked for the full team when he's under 21, but doesn't get called up to another squad for five years or something, then they are free to play for the other country.
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
60,346
129,921
Was always going to happen. Our Republic team is wretched in terms of quality these days.
This doesn’t really help. Lot of good players will be breaking through in the next 2-3 years. He could have led them but he took the other route.
 

LSUY

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2005
24,010
66,826
This doesn’t really help. Lot of good players will be breaking through in the next 2-3 years. He could have led them but he took the other route.

Otherwise known as the get to play in a World Cup route. ;)
 

Davo99

Well-Known Member
Dec 2, 2006
4,063
5,827
A lot of players that play for Ireland sound pretty English.

It is a harsh situation on the Irish team though.
 
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teok

Well-Known Member
Aug 11, 2011
10,836
33,607
Only friendlies, but I don't think it should matter.

A solution I can think of to your second post is if someone is picked for the full team when he's under 21, but doesn't get called up to another squad for five years or something, then they are free to play for the other country.

You could really simplify things and make it just where you are born is who you play for.

Obviously people these days move to different countries but he qualifies through his grand parents. So both his parents were born and grew up in england and so did he. Nationality is a really weird thing that you can't really describe easily.

Let's be honest here he is an english guy with irish grand parents. You can still be english and proud of your irish roots. I bet that describes loads of people in liverpool/manchester and places like that.
 

vuzp

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2004
1,446
1,311
Mick McCarthy did say he wanted to build a team around him and he will be a big miss for the Irish, we have seen it before with players changing countries and Ireland has gotten a their fair share too, disappointed but come to Spurs and all will be forgiven ))
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
60,346
129,921
You could really simplify things and make it just where you are born is who you play for.

Obviously people these days move to different countries but he qualifies through his grand parents. So both his parents were born and grew up in england and so did he. Nationality is a really weird thing that you can't really describe easily.

Let's be honest here he is an english guy with irish grand parents. You can still be english and proud of your irish roots. I bet that describes loads of people in liverpool/manchester and places like that.
Well he should have come through the age levels for England then. That’s what gets my goat.
 
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