Declan Rice | Switches international allegiance to England four years ago

Djemba-Djemba

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So 2 players? Belgium went 2-0 down to Japan and got through narrowly



Aren’t you the guy who kept writing dissertations about how England didn’t have an easy run?
We'd won one knockout match in 16 years before last Summer.

Any run we had would have been difficult for us!
 

acnumber9

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It doesn't bother me, I'm used to Irish fans hating England and wanting us to fail.

I used to want Ireland and the home nation sides to do well but I don't anymore, I thought it was hilarious how they all failed to qualify for the last World Cup.
And all achieved with a nation with 13 times the population. Quite an achievement.
 

Cascarino

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Yup

Very little dislikeable players In the England set up

Not like the days of John terry etc
Rice seems a decent lad too
The only ones I dislike are Alli and Lingard (who to be fair seems alright his face just annoys me).
 

SquishyMcSquish

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So 2 players? Belgium went 2-0 down to Japan and got through narrowly



Aren’t you the guy who kept writing dissertations about how England didn’t have an easy run?
Two shite players in your back line can make a difference.

Also, like I said a change of manager and system can make a big difference. It's like saying the team under mourinho is the same as Ole so it's just as easy facing them.

They went down to Japan then came back and won, then beat Brazil. They generally played much better football in the tournament.

Wilmots was terrible and dragged that Belgian side down with him, Martinez is no world beater but like Southgate he actually had Belgium playing to their potential.

England with Hodgson as manager right now would still be crap regardless of personnel. Just like Belgium would still flatter to deceive under Wilmots and likely would've been knocked out by Japan.

Also, guys like De Bruyne really pushed on between 16 to 18, he was arguably POTY in 17/18. 2 years later and a manager change does not = the same team..
 

Cascarino

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Two shite players in your back line can make a difference.

Also, like I said a change of manager and system can make a big difference. It's like saying the team under mourinho is the same as Ole so it's just as easy facing them.

They went down to Japan then came back and won, then beat Brazil. They generally played much better football in the tournament.

Wilmots was terrible and dragged that Belgian side down with him, Martinez is no world beater but like Southgate he actually had Belgium playing to their potential.

England with Hodgson as manager right now would still be crap regardless of personnel. Just like Belgium would still flatter to deceive under Wilmots and likely would've been knocked out by Japan.

Also, guys like De Bruyne really pushed on between 16 to 18, he was arguably POTY in 17/18. 2 years later and a manager change does not = the same team..
I think you’re really reaching here, your original point was that Wales wouldn’t have beaten ‘18 Belgium, you don’t know that. Wales had no chance of beating ‘16 Belgium who were second favourites, yet they did. Yes Belgium now have 2 different players and Bobby managing them, but you have no idea how Wales would have fared against them in Euro 2016. All I know is that Wales beat a top team on their cup run :D
 

SquishyMcSquish

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I think you’re really reaching here, your original point was that Wales wouldn’t have beaten ‘18 Belgium, you don’t know that. Wales had no chance of beating ‘16 Belgium who were second favourites, yet they did. Yes Belgium now have 2 different players and Bobby managing them, but you have no idea how Wales would have fared against them in Euro 2016. All I know is that Wales beat a top team on their cup run :D

I don't know that, but it's my opinion. Belgium in 2018 were undeniably stronger than 2016.

They did, and it was a great cup run for Wales. But Belgium fans hated Wilmots for a reason, he was an absolute joke. It's no stretch to say they improved without him.

England 2018 would beat Wales 2016 comfortably, you were a Sweden level side, and Belgium 2018 were better than England. Again, that's all just my opinion ..
 

Cascarino

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I don't know that, but it's my opinion. Belgium in 2018 were undeniably stronger than 2016.

They did, and it was a great cup run for Wales. But Belgium fans hated Wilmots for a reason, he was an absolute joke. It's no stretch to say they improved without him.

England 2018 would beat Wales 2016 comfortably, you were a Sweden level side, and Belgium 2018 were better than England. Again, that's all just my opinion ..
Ehh maybe England would win, certainly on paper they should, but it’s hard to gauge how good they are. They had an easy run, yet squeezed past Colombia (missing their best player) on pens and mainly relied on set pieces for goals. When they faced good sides they lost. Someone in this thread said they didn’t beat a side in the top 15 during the World Cup.

Wales have 2016 Bale as well which is a big boost, he’d be the best player on the pitch.

So I think England would win, but comfortably? Nahh. Still, opinions eh:)
 

Eire Red United

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One just topped a group having beaten both Spain and Croatia, and the other finished bottom and winless having faced Denmark and Wales.

One has also just scored 10 goals in two games to kick off their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, while the other picked up a plucky 1-0 over Gibraltar.

The differences are stark.
One’s also got over 10 times smaller population, next to no investment in soccer and 2 if not 3 sports which are more popular. Ones also got the most hated fans in the world, I wonder which.
 

Alex99

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One’s also got over 10 times smaller population, next to no investment in soccer and 2 if not 3 sports which are more popular. Ones also got the most hated fans in the world, I wonder which.
You're arguing against a point I haven't made.

I haven't said that there aren't clearly identifiable reasons why Ireland may be worse at football than England on an international stage.

What I've done is provide a counter argument against someone stating that there is no real difference between the quality of football played by Ireland and England, that there is in fact, a marked gulf in the quality of football played by Ireland and England.

Well done though apart from that. Nice little dig in at the end too. Top marks.
 

Eire Red United

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You're arguing against a point I haven't made.

I haven't said that there aren't clearly identifiable reasons why Ireland may be worse at football than England on an international stage.

What I've done is provide a counter argument against someone stating that there is no real difference between the quality of football played by Ireland and England, that there is in fact, a marked gulf in the quality of football played by Ireland and England.

Well done though apart from that. Nice little dig in at the end too. Top marks.
No ones seriously arguing that Ireland are anywhere near England, that comment was tongue in cheek. You’re wasting your time anyway because 99% of Irish fans don’t take it seriously at all, its a bit of craic and we’ll celebrate anything, qualifying for something, winning a game, scoring a goal or even sometimes winning a corner.

We know we’re shite and naturally we’ll always have a laugh at England fecking up.
 

Alex99

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No ones seriously arguing that Ireland are anywhere near England, that comment was tongue in cheek. You’re wasting your time anyway because 99% of Irish fans don’t take it seriously at all, its a bit of craic and we’ll celebrate anything, qualifying for something, winning a game, scoring a goal or even sometimes winning a corner.

We know we’re shite and naturally we’ll always have a laugh at England fecking up.
Your man that I had responded to certainly wasn't coming across as tongue in cheek in his multiple posts about how there wasn't much difference between England and Ireland.
 

lsd

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Your man that I had responded to certainly wasn't coming across as tongue in cheek in his multiple posts about how there wasn't much difference between England and Ireland.

I would doubt anyone's sanity if they think that . We know we will never win anything and it will be difficult to even Qualify .

However if we do we will have a great time and there will be loads of parties .

As for Rice I think I've already said very few Irish people if any would ever want to play for England so I have no problems with him saying he feels English .

I think you should play for whoever your heart is with otherwise you are cheating yourself
 

Eire Red United

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I would doubt anyone's sanity if they think that . We know we will never win anything and it will be difficult to even Qualify .

However if we do we will have a great time and there will be loads of parties .

As for Rice I think I've already said very few Irish people if any would ever want to play for England so I have no problems with him saying he feels English .

I think you should play for whoever your heart is with otherwise you are cheating yourself
Some change in singing ooh ah up the ra to god save the queen though.

I’ve no problem with him leaving since he obviously is going to a better side, but this always feeling English shite doesn’t wash with me and the way he led us on for months seriously showed disrespect.
 

Negan

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The bloke isn’t worth talking about.

He simply chose England to further his career. It’s nothing to do with “feeling English” or whatever. That’s bollocks.

Even if that was the case, why ever play for Ireland then? Especially at senior level.

To top it all off, he’s joked about (I’m assuming) supporting the IRA. Now he’s singing God Saved The Queen... what the feck.

I wish this player nothing but the worst. Not bitter or anything. I just hate to see this carry on. He’s a mercenary, only out for himself.
 

Negan

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Your man that I had responded to certainly wasn't coming across as tongue in cheek in his multiple posts about how there wasn't much difference between England and Ireland.
There isn’t. Neither of us are winning anything. :)

At least if he stayed at Ireland, he’d be the best of a bad bunch.
 

redmanc

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The bloke isn’t worth talking about.

He simply chose England to further his career. It’s nothing to do with “feeling English” or whatever. That’s bollocks.

Even if that was the case, why ever play for Ireland then? Especially at senior level.

To top it all off, he’s joked about (I’m assuming) supporting the IRA. Now he’s singing God Saved The Queen... what the feck.

I wish this player nothing but the worst. Not bitter or anything. I just hate to see this carry on. He’s a mercenary, only out for himself.
I don't go to work for loyalty and all that shit, i go to work to pay the bills and progress my career, as long as thats on the table i'll give it my everything however it all boils down to the benjamins and ensuring my career is going somewhere, why do football players have to be any different?
 

dbs235

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The bloke isn’t worth talking about.

He simply chose England to further his career. It’s nothing to do with “feeling English” or whatever. That’s bollocks.

Even if that was the case, why ever play for Ireland then? Especially at senior level.

To top it all off, he’s joked about (I’m assuming) supporting the IRA. Now he’s singing God Saved The Queen... what the feck.

I wish this player nothing but the worst. Not bitter or anything. I just hate to see this carry on. He’s a mercenary, only out for himself.
Because he never thought he'd be good enough to be starting for England at this early age.
 

Red4Ever

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The IRA thing is nothing imo if sterling or alli were 15 & playing with ireland they might have done the same

His generation don’t understand it really and didn’t live through the pain

Although the idiots twice his age who sing “no surrender” are probably worse TBH
 

lsd

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Some change in singing ooh ah up the ra to god save the queen though.

I’ve no problem with him leaving since he obviously is going to a better side, but this always feeling English shite doesn’t wash with me and the way he led us on for months seriously showed disrespect.

I know but I can only imagine he is doing it because he feels English.

I mean would you wear the shirt and belt out God Save the Queen because I certainly couldn't
 

SquishyMcSquish

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Ehh maybe England would win, certainly on paper they should, but it’s hard to gauge how good they are. They had an easy run, yet squeezed past Colombia (missing their best player) on pens and mainly relied on set pieces for goals. When they faced good sides they lost. Someone in this thread said they didn’t beat a side in the top 15 during the World Cup.

Wales have 2016 Bale as well which is a big boost, he’d be the best player on the pitch.

So I think England would win, but comfortably? Nahh. Still, opinions eh:)
I don't think we were anything special at the World Cup, it came way too early for us. We'll be much better in 2020.

But Wales weren't all that amazing in 2018 either, a hodgson led England beat them. The win over Belgium was like the Belgian 'Iceland moment' where they got rid of incompetence at the helm, again a proper big side put Wales to bed .. As Portugal did.

Bale in 2016 is no better than Kane now (arguably the best striker in the world) and some would even argue Sterling. And I adore Bale, but Kane is at least as good as he was for us. Less X factor perhaps, but all round game is superior. Again though, comes down to opinions and Bale is more exciting and has a bit more of the superstar touch.

Still, that Welsh side had a hell of a lot of heart and if you could combine that with more quality throughout the team, they'd smash anyone. Wales in international sport have a hell of a lot to be proud of, players seem to always give everything.
 

RochaRoja

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To top it all off, he’s joked about (I’m assuming) supporting the IRA. Now he’s singing God Saved The Queen... what the feck.
Maybe he’s just not very intelligent and/or doesn’t give a toss about politics.
 

Havak

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It's too early to tell if he'll be that good long-term, but for some reason I really like him. I've only seen him play about five times or so admittedly, but he's looked good. Given the ball away a few too many times, but he's usually quick to make up for it and has good positional play. Very good at timing tackles and isn't shy of getting forward when possible. He's definitely one to keep an eye on but I doubt any bigger team will make a move until he's done a full season in the DM role with West Ham next term.
 

Robbie Boy

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I was wondering why a thread about such a meh player kept being bumped but then I come in and see it's not at all about Rice, but about England's super easy run to the WC semi which they royally fecked up :lol:
 

12OunceEpilogue

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I was wondering why a thread about such a meh player kept being bumped but then I come in and see it's not at all about Rice, but about England's super easy run to the WC semi which they royally fecked up :lol:
I think you'll find the super easy run to the semi final wasn't the problem, it was the semi final itself we royally fecked up.
 

Classical Mechanic

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Why is it hostile? If you don't want to play for ireland then don't use our youth set up to further your career.
Is this meant to be controversial?
It shows a complete lack of appreciation for the position that dual nationals are in and how they can have legitimate affections for and be happy to play for more than one country. Many Irish fans seem unable to grasp this simple concept which is simply a reflection of the modern world.

Such attitudes will help England though as there are some really talented dual national English/Irish players coming through.
 

RochaRoja

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I was wondering why a thread about such a meh player kept being bumped but then I come in and see it's not at all about Rice, but about England's super easy run to the WC semi which they royally fecked up :lol:
Funny how such a “meh” player was Ireland’s great white hope less than a year ago.
 

Trizy

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As someone whose mother is Irish and father is English, maybe I am a little biased but...

Ireland is a tiny country with no chance of competing in Football against countries with 10x and more population.

With that in mind, I don't understand why more Irish lads don't want England to do well, given the cultural ties and that probably a quarter of the blood in any England team is of Celtic stock.

But each to there own.
Because anytime they win anything they're bloody painful. Look at them going far in the WC for example or when they won the Rugby World Cup.. they're the country equivalent of a Liverpool supporter :lol:.

I'm Irish but I do agree you haven't a chance in hell of winning anything with Ireland so Rice was only smart making the move.