West Ham United’s Declan Rice faces a tough decision about his international future.
Everton defender Seamus Coleman has told The Irish Sun that he has spoken directly to West Ham United talent Declan Rice about his international future.
After the conclusion of this weekend’s Premier League games, it’s now time for yet another international break – the third of the season, with many fans again left frustrated at the regular breaks in the first half of the domestic campaign.
Much of the focus will be on England’s games against the United States and Croatia, but the Republic of Ireland are also in action, taking on Northern Ireland and Denmark over the next week.
Martin O’Neill has named an experimental squad, containing the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Jimmy Dunne and Michael Obafemi, but there is again no place for midfielder Rice.
The 19-year-old is enjoying a superb season for the Hammers, starring in holding midfield, but has been removed from consideration for Ireland until he decides his international future.
Rice, who has three senior caps for Ireland and has spent his formative years in their youth ranks, was born in London and can subsequently switch allegiance to play for England, as he has yet to play a competitive international game.
Rice has still yet to decide whether to represent England or Ireland going forward, and Everton’s Irish international star Seamus Coleman has offered his thoughts on the situation.
Coleman has revealed that he has spoken to Rice directly, telling him that the Ireland squad love him no matter what he picks, before noting that the situation is not straightforward as Rice has been overjoyed playing for Ireland but is, at his core, English – and doesn’t know what the youngster is going to pick.
“I’ve spoken to him and just to say, ‘Look, it’s your decision, you have to go with what’s right for you basically. We love you and you’ve been great for us’. And he has, he’s a really nice fella. I’ve seen a few people being quite strong and saying you have to know who you are. I don’t think it’s that straight-forward.”
“Declan was brought up in England and lived in England. But when I saw him get man of the match against Turkey, embracing his father in the tunnel, I saw someone who was extremely proud of playing for Ireland. So it’s definitely not as straight-forward as being one or the other. He was born in England and was proud to play for Ireland.”
“What’s he going to do? I don’t know. I hope he plays for Ireland because we need players like that. If he chose not to, that’s his decision and I wish him well in his career because he is a really nice fella. Obviously we want lads who want to play for Ireland. That will be his decision in the end,” he added.
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