Exceptions as in someone being born in the North of Ireland playing for the South of Ireland? Doesn't seem like an exception to me really. I know people switch allegiance quite often these days, but truthfully I'm just fuming and I cant hide it. Convinced myself he would play with Ireland. Looked to appreciate and enjoy his run from the under 16s to the senior team...
Declan Rice | Switches international allegiance to England four years ago
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Sounds like an exception to me, they are two separate footballing nations. And as other people from the north have pointed out, they too get annoyed when the south nicks their players. I get all the political ramifications behind it, but the rest of the world would be less sympathetic. Make an exception for Ireland you will have to make exceptions for other political refugees.
Honestly if you pick a 16 year old born and bred in another country, there is always this risk of it happening.
Yeah that is a fair point if I think about my situation. I live in the North of Ireland but have a southern passport. I would classify myself as Irish. Morale of the story is I'm fecking fuming just
He's gonna be a monster player and England is the right national team for his talents right now. He'd be wasted at Ireland. Would be like when Giggs played for Wales when they were bang average.
Anyways if Ryan Johannson from Bayern can step up then Ireland already have a massive talent coming through who plays the same position
Anyways if Ryan Johannson from Bayern can step up then Ireland already have a massive talent coming through who plays the same position
If a dog is born in a stable, it doesn't make him a horse.
And if that's your thought process, please see Raheem Sterling xo
Anyway, I look forward to spamming the picture of him kissing the Irish badge every time he lines up for GSTQ. Good riddance.
Think we should be going in for him in the summer.
Where would play him ? Where Matc is ?
Sorry to interrupt, but YES! If he's not a perfect contender and longterm replacement for Matic, I don't know who is. Looks like a generational talent. Should be all over him, though I fear Pep's keen eye.
I think the anger in this instance relates to the fact that Rice has three senior caps. If he had switched having only represented Ireland at youth level then disappointment would be the sole reaction I'd say.
I agree. The so-called 'granny-rule' is our get out of jail free card; we've played it so often that we now rely on it.
Actual nationality precedes 'footballing nationality'.
I think most people with dual nationality can relate to how this works. I've grown up in one country with a poor national team, but am culturally very attached to another one with a great national team. If I was good enough I'd want to play for the good one.
Yeah but we’re talking about a hypothetical situation where you play for the footballing nation of your birth. Not what passport you have.
Agree with this:
Wouldn't be surprised if Pep sees him as a successor to Fernandinho.
Is he honestly a generational talent? I’ve not seen enough full West Ham full games to judge enough yet, only highlights. If he is then yeah we should be all over him as a Matic replacement.
What?
Since when are you the arbiter of who is and isn't Irish?
If someone feels Irish then they feel Irish. If that person also feels English then they also feel English. Your opinion has less than zero bearing on that.
Supporting Trump also has nothing to do with being or not being Irish, just the exclusive and makey-uppey version of being Irish that you've invented in your head with your own rules.
Great to see a Chelsea academy product for england (if they can't make it at Chelsea then England will do!).
Why you guys should hoard less young players. They leave for another PL club they actually get playing time.
I think it was almost inevitable that he would select England once it was clear he was set to make a choice between the two, it did seem a bit strange he took some time to make his decision.
It also would probably follow that he allowed his head to make the choice and not the heart, his career will no doubt develop in a much better way now he has declared for England, assuming he plays regularly for them.
To be fair, any player in this situation will always attract attention and be up there to be shot at when they have to make a choice, Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy are previous examples.
It also would probably follow that he allowed his head to make the choice and not the heart, his career will no doubt develop in a much better way now he has declared for England, assuming he plays regularly for them.
To be fair, any player in this situation will always attract attention and be up there to be shot at when they have to make a choice, Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy are previous examples.
I think all the top teams are guilty of this though. Young lads that need game time at the top level between the ages of 16-21 just dont get the exposure to the top level and dont kick on unless they move away to another club on loan or permanently or they benefit from massive injury problems.
Yeah, I would also like to see @lsd reply to this. What on earth are you on about? Does being Irish come with a certain set of political beliefs that you cannot deviate from if you wish to be considered Irish?What?
Since when are you the arbiter of who is and isn't Irish?
If someone feels Irish then they feel Irish. If that person also feels English then they also feel English. Your opinion has less than zero bearing on that.
Supporting Trump also has nothing to do with being or not being Irish, just the exclusive and makey-uppey version of being Irish that you've invented in your head with your own rules.
There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to do both. Why shouldn’t Benzema be able to declare for Algeria now that his France career is over?
It would be cool if the rules were relaxed to allow some of these dual nationality players the opportunity to switch national teams during their careers and would be great for the development of football in the smaller nations.
Ok, I'm just pointing out that the term 'footballing nation' is a meaningless one this instance.
He looks good but Ruben Neves should be our top priority!
Maybe in regards to Rice since he is playing for the country of his birth. But overall it’s still valid as plenty of players play for a nation that does not correspond to a nation they generally identify with.
I'm referring to NI there, not Rice.
Simply put that’s also difficult to clarify since that depends on your definition of what is a nation.
Not really, because NI doesn't meet the definition of a nation. But that's a separate issue.
I understand why NI fans gets angry about the situation, and I've already stated my view on how things should proceed with said players. However, there's no Irish exception in the rules. Rather the problem for NI is the rules themselves and Irish citizenship law.
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Exactly which is why footballing nation isn’t meaningless. Literally just mean which nation you choose to play football for.
This lad feels like a Fergie signing. Box to box and full of energy, we'd get him for around £50m but we should probably wait a season more to see how he develops. I'd rather pay an extra £10m or so than get stuck with another £50m flop we can't move.
No way do you buy a young English talent of Rice's caliber with 5 years left on his contract for £50m nowadays. West Ham would likely demand double that.
They can demand all they want but no one outside of England is going to pay that so that cuts their market down to two teams immediately. If they want to fund another busy summer, they'll sell him for whatever they feel is fair market value.
Three teams if you include Chelsea. They'd demand £100m, but I reckon they'd get £80m for him.
Can't see anyone going for that amount in the summer. TV rights are coming down and the market will start to stabilise slightly. As you mentioned, I think the 5 year contract is most likely to be the biggest hurdle as West Ham do not have to even consider a sale at this point unless he goes rouge.
True enough. We'll see what happens!
nothing better than players switching nation on the granny rule
A twenty-year-old bossing midfield through superb technique and possession. I have high hopes, maybe too high. He is playing for West Ham though, so performances naturally would vary with team performance.
I haven't seen enough, but sometimes you don't need to see it all. Looks class. Sign. Him. Up.
Irish fans can’t moan. They been doing the same to Northern Ireland and even Luxembourg.
I don’t blame him for choosing England after seeing our options in centre midfield.
I don’t blame him for choosing England after seeing our options in centre midfield.
Shame he picked England purely on the grounds that Ireland could do with someone quality in the side.
Good lad Declan.
England desperately need some quality in midfield and Rice looks like he could be a top player.
England desperately need some quality in midfield and Rice looks like he could be a top player.
What are the chances of him going rouge? Slim I'd say. Would be a clear signal to us, certainly.
Martin ONeill should have capped him when he had the chance. The FAI are a joke, he made the right choice.