Jack Grealish

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

He only has less than a year left on his contract! His long-term future isn't even at the club yet.

I think Villa's main concern is getting him to sign a new contract, not that there are any signs that they are pulling their finger out to do that; let alone pressuring him into playing for England.

[back of the net]

Jack is a charming, personable young lad; very good at speaking to media. He's pretty good at working everyone.

So to recap: He's with Ireland at the moment. Would be glad to accept call up. Call up happens. He doesn't take it.

I really keep trying to justify what's going on but I can't help feeling it's all very cynical. He's playing for our U-21 team yet he won't accept a call up to the senior team because he doesn't want to tie himself down.

Excuse me for thinking it pretty disingenuous - and getting the impression that he is taking his time to see how his club career pans out and letting that dictate his international career.


I couldnt blame anyone for been somewhat cynical TOWK

But IMO i do believe he has his heart set on playing for Ireland but he has alot of ppl in the game and very possibly (as charlie said) his club in his ear about playing for England

It makes me think of the Kevin Kilbane Sam allardyce situation in preston reserves all those years ago.

For worth its worth , if Jack ends up showing 10% of the commitment to Ireland as Killer did , then he will continue to wear the green


Watch this space i guess!

[Charlie Darwin]

Well neither of us have any idea what they're doing with regard to his contract but it's reasonable to assume they see him there for the foreseeable future. I think it's fair to consider alternative narratives to the "he's just waiting to see if he's any good before committing" line.

[Stuttgart88]

That's probably it TOWK, but it's not some kind of act of treason or duplicity. He's English born and bred with Irish grandparents and a strong sense of his Irish roots. He's 18 and has barely kicked a ball in anger in his professional career. He's entitled to take his time, especially when a call up from the FAI would itself have more than a whiff of cynicism about it.

Football is a tough world and a very murky business populated by spivs and charlatans in every corner. My advice to an 18 year old would be not to rush into anything.

[Charlie Darwin]

I see a lot of myself in you, Stutts.

[Olé Olé]

Also, where in O'Neill's quotes does it state Jack refused a call-up? O'Neill doesn't state that he called Jack up, just that there was a conversation. A "decent conversation."

With young players it can be understandable that they, or those around them, don't want the added pressure of senior international football when the motives behind it may be to get them capped. Draw a parallel with Ryan McLaughlin who asked not to be considered. He's back playing with them.

I'd place a bit of trust in one of Ireland's greatest players and one of the finest diplomats to ever straddle the line between two football associations (as opposed to countries) to get this one as right as anyone.

I'd call it cynical to infer cynicism on Jack's part. For now.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

What i interpret is that he doesn't want to be considered for the senior team at this point so it's all a moot point.

[tricky_colour]

I see a lot of myself in you, Stutts.

What the whole 5 inches?

[geysir]

I had always thought, that despite all, you were a respectable chap Tricky.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'm disgusted.

[DannyInvincible]

I still think he's ours to lose and his sitting on the fence is neither anything really new nor anything particularly controversial. His position isn't unlike the Janujaz situation. Remember the hysteria over James McCarthy. I still think there's a whiff about that saga in this situation.

TOWK, to his credit, has been very restrained in his reaction. Paul seems to think he has already won some kind of fortune telling cum amateur psychology competition.

Hehe, just because there's doubt - as a result of an absence of evidence - it doesn't make it fair to automatically assume the worst outcome will be the case, or any outcome will be the case, for that matter. If the worst outcome then transpires to indeed become the case, one can't then say, "I told you so!" if their pessimistic cynicism or desire to go against the reasoned grain would have seen them take that position regardless, despite nobody having had any way of actually knowing the final outcome for certain at the time they made their assertion. Rational belief can only be based on the evidence available rather than jumping to conclusions or filling the gaps in knowledge with suspicion and speculation. Having "called it right" is more chance coincidence - with a fairly big chance at 50-50 - than profound insight under such circumstances. Agnosticism, for want of a better word, on any particular issue is not the same thing as naivety or ignorance.

I agree though; in TOWK's defence, whilst ambiguity remains and the situation is still much the same in substance, he's not been trying to lord this setback over anyone and that's to his credit. :)


Did anyone who stated conclusively that McCarthy would play for Scotland ever apologise for it, or say they were wrong? Do you think anyone who is wrong here will do the same if Grealish plays for Ireland?

Paul will still be telling us he told us so! :p


Stutts is correct. Once he accepted a call-up to England U21, he'd have used his one change of allegiance and he'd no longer be eligible for Ireland.

Hmm, I'm not quite sure that is the case. If Grealish is to go on and play competitively for England's under-21s he will definitely have effected his solitary switch. The rule does state that a solitary "request" is permitted, but the evidence appears to inform us that a player must play in a competitive game for his new association in order to actually effect a switch, even if he has completed the requisite switch paperwork. There were cases in the eligibility thread (http://foot.ie/threads/147164-Eligibility-Rules-Okay?p=1568409&viewfull=1#post1568409) to back this up, if I recall correctly. Bobby Zamora played for England at under-21 level before he requested a switch to Trinidad & Tobago. He was all ready to play for them having had the switch approved by FIFA, but missed out due to injury, before then going on to represent England at senior level. Tony Kane and Michael O'Connor similarly went from IFA to FAI and back again without getting tied competitively. I don't see how this would have been possible if a simple request was enough to tie a player to a new association. I've had a quick skim over the old eligibility discussion, but did we ever arrive at a certain conclusion on this? geysir?... :o


ok, I thought the rule applied per age group, i.e. once you've played competitively for one U21 side, you can only play for that one U21 team, and not per age group per tournament, e.g. play for Sweden U21s in their qualifiers for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and then France (say) for the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

If that is true, then the next available date for Grealish for England U21 will be their first qualifiers for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 12 months, correct?

Unless, of course, he gets called into the England senior squad

The regulation only prevents a player from participating in the same competition for another association's like age-group. Shane Duffy played for the IFA at both under-19 and under-21 levels before later playing for Ireland at under-19 and under-21 levels, for example. Here's the wording of the rule, which mentions nothing of a limitation based upon representing a particular age-group:


8: Change of Association

1. If a Player has more than one nationality, or if a Player acquires a new nationality, or if a Player is eligible to play for several representative teams due to nationality, he may, only once, request to change the Association for which he is eligible to play international matches to the Association of another country of which he holds nationality, subject to the following conditions:

...

b) He is not permitted to play for his new Association in any competition in which he has already played for his previous Association.


It doesn't look to good from Ireland's point of view.

"If I'm enjoying it with Ireland and I won't be pressured into playing for England.... For the next couple of years, I want to play for Ireland."

Not the initial *if* which is combined with and *and*. so two conditions have to be met, the second condition is rather cryptic
"and I won't be pressurised into playing for England" I am rather unclear what that means. If you drop the initial 'if' it make sense. ie
"I'm enjoying it with Ireland and I won't be pressured into playing for England."
Makes sense, but even then it is followed by "For the next couple of years, I want to play for Ireland."
that seems to apply that outside of the new two years he does not want to play for Ireland.

What you quote above is an abbreviated version of a quote, condensed by myself, that originally appeared here: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/indemand-grealish-on-fast-track-to-senior-call-30075664.html

I imagine it's an answer in response to a question along the lines of: "Will you continue with the way things are at the minute and stick with Ireland?"

I don't think the quote necessarily stacks the odds against us. Looking at it literally and logically, it doesn't necessarily mean that he'll definitely switch if he's still enjoying it with us and there's pressure upon him to play for England. Or does it?... So, in that sense, two conditions might need to be met if he's to switch; interest from the FA and a loss of enjoyment from playing for us. We just don't know for sure. Is someone gonna draw up a matrix or what?!

[tricky_colour]

What you quote above is an abbreviated version of a quote, condensed by myself, that originally appeared here: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/indemand-grealish-on-fast-track-to-senior-call-30075664.html

I imagine it's an answer in response to a question along the lines of: "Will you continue with the way things are at the minute and stick with Ireland?"

I don't think the quote necessarily stacks the odds against us. Looking at it literally and logically, it doesn't necessarily mean that he'll definitely switch if he's still enjoying it with us and there's pressure upon him to play for England. Or does it?... So, in that sense, two conditions might need to be met if he's to switch; interest from the FA and a loss of enjoyment from playing for us. We just don't know for sure. Is someone gonna draw up a matrix or what?!

There are few too many 'if's' and buts for me, I am kind of expecting the worst to be honest, seems to me he is keepinghis
options open, I can't blame him for that.

The thing I see that probably works in our favour is that competition for a place in the England team is likely to be pretty
high although as I said the left wing spot is a bit of an exception so there are a number of things to be considered, I mean
he might play one or two games for either England or Ireland and turn out to be a bit of a flop and they not get selected again.


Hence I think he has probably made the right decision for himself by delaying committing himself.

[tricky_colour]

I had always thought, that despite all, you were a respectable chap Tricky.


I'm disgusted.

I meant to put a :p but had made the post before I got the chance to put it in :p ( the post not the 5 inches).

[DannyInvincible]

There are few too many 'if's' and buts for me, I am kind of expecting the worst to be honest, seems to me he is keepinghis
options open, I can't blame him for that.

The thing I see that probably works in our favour is that competition for a place in the England team is likely to be pretty
high although as I said the left wing spot is a bit of an exception so there are a number of things to be considered, I mean
he might play one or two games for either England or Ireland and turn out to be a bit of a flop and they not get selected again.


Hence I think he has probably made the right decision for himself by delaying committing himself.

There are lots of "ifs" and "buts" when it comes to the question of him switching too. I think the odds favour us, to be honest. Why would he ever lose enjoyment or feel put off by donning the green? Noel King and Martin O'Neill have dealt very well with him and there's a clear mutual respect there. Also, any switch would be dependent on serious FA interest. They'd have to cap him competitively to tie him. If he was to decide to switch, I'd imagine he'd like to be sure he wasn't going to become a one-cap-wonder and throw a potential international career with Ireland down the drain. If the status quo remains, he'll play with us. He may come to the conclusion that deciding to switch might be too radical and risky an option for him to take. But we will see.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Tbh, If our whole international future hangs on what JG decides, we're screwed...

[tetsujin1979]

included in the U21 squad vs Germany: http://www.fai.ie/international/under-21/104138-king-names-u21-squad-for-clash-with-germany.html

[ArdeeBhoy]

Hurrah!

[Olé Olé]

Is that an intentionally young squad or are some of the players I'm thinking of over-age? There's a long list (Reilly, O'Brien, O'Sullivan, Egan, McDermott, McCarey, McAlinden, Smith, Murray, O'Connor, Burke, Drennan, McHugh, Carruthers, Forrester, Hayhurst, B. Lenihan, Sutherland, Williams, Feely).

And that patsy Grealish is in there ahead of 'em all!!!!!!!!!!

[Charlie Darwin]

The remaining group games are meaningless as we can't qualify so you might as well take the opportunity to start using the players who'll be eligible for the next campaign. King says as much in the blurb.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Some strange selections in that U21 squad alright. Jack Connors of Dag and Red is in there but Alan Browne isn't, despite cementing his place in a strong League One side.

[Charlie Darwin]

Browne's omission is strange as the U19s have no games until November as far as I know. Perhaps he thinks Byrne, Grealish, Lenihan and Sadlier he's got enough midfielders.

[BonnieShels]

Also, where in O'Neill's quotes does it state Jack refused a call-up? O'Neill doesn't state that he called Jack up, just that there was a conversation. A "decent conversation."

With young players it can be understandable that they, or those around them, don't want the added pressure of senior international football when the motives behind it may be to get them capped. Draw a parallel with Ryan McLaughlin who asked not to be considered. He's back playing with them.

I'd place a bit of trust in one of Ireland's greatest players and one of the finest diplomats to ever straddle the line between two football associations (as opposed to countries) to get this one as right as anyone.

I'd call it cynical to infer cynicism on Jack's part. For now.

Probably the best post on the whole matterf or me. Bang on.


What the whole 5 inches?


I sniggered and am disgusted. I'm still shocked it's taken this long for someone to take in the full innuendo.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

One person may find one viewpoint cynical, another person may find a different viewpoint optimistic and ideal. The bottom line is that he does not want to be considered for the senior team at this moment in time; which correlates with his own regular, pointed usage of "short-term" and "long-term" when discussing the national team. We can all discern whatever we want from that. A call-up to the U-21 team does not really change anything.

People say the lad is confused. He clearly is. Several months ago: "I would love to play for the senior team and with all the games they have lined up for the summer it could happen, but for now I am just enjoying every game and every cap with the U21s."

He was born in England and with his level of talent there is always going to be a pull towards England that doesn't exist with similar aged players of lesser talent whose path in International football is more linear.

I think it's a tad harsh to imply cynicism or hysteria on my part. I think I'm just being a bit realistic. I want the lad playing for Ireland as much as anyone else; I'm always harping on about a lack of Irish players at the top level.

The bone of contention seems to be what is behind Jack's decision making process. Is he waiting to see if he is good enough to garner serious interest from England (in which case this saga could become seriously protracted; and he could be of more use to us than England in the short-to-medium-term), some existential crisis in his heart about whether he feels more English or Irish, pressure from his club (for whatever it's worth I already explained why I doubt this), may have more earning power playing for England..... who knows? We can only offer conjecture.

There has to be a balance though. You have to give the lad the benefit of the doubt but at the same time maintain a degree of realism. We (O'Neill, Keane, King) can do no more than what we are already doing to make the lad feel comfortable and special while (Keane) maintaining a distance so as not to be overbearing.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Why doesn't someone write and ask Grealish? Then we might have a clue what he's thinking...

If he wants to play for us he will, if he doesn't he'll get a lot less, if any, full caps.

[tricky_colour]

On the bench still at 83 mins doubt he we will see him play today.
So not that highly rated then?

[Razors left peg]

Id be very surprised if we see this lad in the Senior team ever. If he gets a phone call from Woy Id say he could be turned easy enough.

[tricky_colour]

If he is not good enough for Villa I can#t see Woy phoning him.
He was not even one of the 3 subs.

[Olé Olé]

If he is not good enough for Villa I can#t see Woy phoning him.
He was not even one of the 3 subs.

He's 18 years of age. How many 18 year olds played in the PL today? Not many, if any.

[tricky_colour]

He's 18 years of age. How many 18 year olds played in the PL today? Not many, if any.


Wayne Wooney.

[BonnieShels]

Today... Not 14 years ago...

Though Sterling was 18...

[Razors left peg]

This thing of needing time to think about his international future is a bit of bullsh1t in my opinion. Its not like this has suddenly come as a massive surprise that he might be on the verge of a senior call up for us so hes had long enough to decide what he wants.

To me it comes across completely of "Cheers Ireland, ye have kept me in the spotlight up to now but I dont really want to play for ye"

If he does decide to play for England then fair enough, good luck to him. I just hope to God it doesnt turn into a situation for where we are wondering for half the year what hes gonna do.

I hope he does stay with us because we are lacking much genuine talent coming through, but I get the feeling that he and his father look at International football as just an opportunity to develop his profile, and realistically when it comes down to it an England international will earn a higher profile leading to much higher earnings

[Stuttgart88]

A bit more meat on the bone here from the Examiner. Wasn't John Fallon the guy who wrote the original Indo article?

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/oneill-fears-england-lure-283188.html

The article also says that McGoldrick is awaiting his passport and Andy Reid is a major injury doubt, although he played yesterday. The article was From Friday.

[tetsujin1979]

ok, I thought the rule applied per age group, i.e. once you've played competitively for one U21 side, you can only play for that one U21 team, and not per age group per tournament, e.g. play for Sweden U21s in their qualifiers for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and then France (say) for the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

If that is true, then the next available date for Grealish for England U21 will be their first qualifiers for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 12 months, correct?

Unless, of course, he gets called into the England senior squad

any reporters from the Independent on the forum?
from http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/other-soccer/lambert-seeks-commitment-from-indemand-jack-grealish-30529951.html

FIFA rules prevent a player from representing two countries in the same campaign, meaning England would have to wait until the start of the next set of U-21 qualifiers in September 2015 to cap Grealish.

[Stuttgart88]

Could England cap him in a competitive u19 game before then?

[Charlie Darwin]

Could England cap him in a competitive u19 game before then?
No, he'll be overage by the time that starts.

[Stuttgart88]

This thing of needing time to think about his international future is a bit of bullsh1t in my opinion. Its not like this has suddenly come as a massive surprise that he might be on the verge of a senior call up for us so hes had long enough to decide what he wants.

To me it comes across completely of "Cheers Ireland, ye have kept me in the spotlight up to now but I dont really want to play for ye"

If he does decide to play for England then fair enough, good luck to him. I just hope to God it doesnt turn into a situation for where we are wondering for half the year what hes gonna do.

I hope he does stay with us because we are lacking much genuine talent coming through, but I get the feeling that he and his father look at International football as just an opportunity to develop his profile, and realistically when it comes down to it an England international will earn a higher profile leading to much higher earnings
I can see why a club might want him to be an England international purely from a transfer value perspective, although if he goes on to establish himself I'd imagine his transfer value will become what it is regardless of whether he's an Irish international or a English international. On the other hand a club might prefer one of their players to have nearly every summer off!

Anyway, I nominate Tets to get in touch with him via Twitter and ask him for clarity. As compiler of the Irish Abroad database Tets has a right to know. He can say he's already working on the 2015/16 edition and wants to know whether to include him or not!

[back of the net]

Interview on front of sunday times today with jacks father and he speaks about their meeting with o neill.

im on my phone at the minute...will try post it later

[DannyInvincible]

Id be very surprised if we see this lad in the Senior team ever. If he gets a phone call from Woy Id say he could be turned easy enough.

It's not as simple as the FA or Hodgson simply giving him a call though. They'd also need to cap him competitively and would, most likely, have to be able to convince him that it wouldn't be a solitary appearance.

Am I correct in thinking that if he were to play in a senior international friendly for England, that wouldn't actually effect any switch? In other words, he'd have to play competitively for them? Is there doubt surrounding that? I know the rules state pretty clearly that one request to change association is permitted, but is that actually how it's applied practically? Previous cases, such as Bobby Zamora, don't appear to support that in reality.


A bit more meat on the bone here from the Examiner. Wasn't John Fallon the guy who wrote the original Indo article?

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/oneill-fears-england-lure-283188.html

The article also says that McGoldrick is awaiting his passport and Andy Reid is a major injury doubt, although he played yesterday. The article was From Friday.

Even though there had been no formal declaration of interest from the FAI (in fact, Scotland were asking questions), McGoldrick was quoted months ago as saying he'd already set in motion the process of acquiring his Irish passport in anticipation of a hoped call-up: http://www.theleaguepaper.com/latest-news/football-league-championship/1087/ipswich-striker-david-mcgoldrick-would-jump-at-irish-chance/

The process has been taking quite a while then, but it sounds like it's a less straightforward case; he has previously mentioned that his adoptive family, the McGoldricks, have Irish roots, but that piece and this one (http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/scotland_tried_to_call_me_up_david_mcgoldrick_reve als_tartan_army_s_speculative_attempt_as_he_contin ues_to_try_and_get_his_irish_passport_rubber_stamp ed_1_3725394) appear to confirm that his eligibility spires from his birth mother's Irish father. It's an interesting one as there'd no longer be any formal legal relationship there, as far as I know. I hadn't been fully sure that citizenship could be passed down that way, but it makes sense of course; citizenship is expressly derived from being born to an Irish citizen, irrespective of whether or not there's still a formal legal relationship there.


Could England cap him in a competitive u19 game before then?

In theory, if he was of right age they could. Shane Duffy played for our under-19s after having played for the IFA's under-21s, for example.

[Stuttgart88]

Interview on front of sunday times today with jacks father and he speaks about their meeting with o neill.

im on my phone at the minute...will try post it later
Come on man, get off the phone. Your mammy can wait until later.

[back of the net]

Come on man, get off the phone. Your mammy can wait until later.


I told mammy to get off the phone .

Here ye go


Kevin Grealish interview in todays times


http://i.imgur.com/x0J1ZTt.jpg

[TrapAPony]

Sounds like he wants to play for England but our U21's will do for the moment

[liamoo11]

I think the dream is dead now he will never play for us at senior level. Ive been deluding myself since the first post on this thread. Fantastic player though. I dont think england have a player like him. He will be 20 when england play in the euros and id be fairly convinced he would be in that squad as a playmaker. apart from barkley i dont see who else england have in that role

[back of the net]

I feel a "Come on Lads .....Keep the faith - jack will stay with us" post is due!

so

Come on Lads .....Keep the faith - jack will stay with us!!

[Stuttgart88]

England have such an easy group they could pick a whole team of U21s and they'd qualify. They could easily call him up sometime soon, though even they would probably wait until he's established at club level first. Any England senior call up would be seen as cynical. It's a year until they can offer him a u21 call up, I think.

Let's see what pans out. He has rejected a partially cynical FAI attempt to call him up now. That's probably good advice.

He has consistently talked of playing for Ireland only in the present tense, refusing to get drawn into making firm statements committing to the future. He said something like he'd have been excited by the summer senior friendlies, none of which would have tied him.

England are clearly lurking and bending his ear. If he has made up his mind he'd make the switch now, or will do so shortly, without waiting for an England call up.

As things stand the door is still open for both countries. I personally dont blame him for that at all. He needs to do what's best for him. If his dad has his head screwed on he'll recognise that it's not all rosy in the FA's garden. Ask Jack Wilshere. The reality at England is that you're a zero unless you excel at a major tournament. With Jack's boyband good looks and sporting talent he'll be a star in Ireland with much less to prove, and much less baggage to carry through his club career.

I don't see any firm Ireland commitment anytime soon but I'm not sure we'll see an England declaration until he needs to give one either.

Another year of the Ireland team being secondary in the media's eyes to the speculation of a player's thoughts beckons methinks. Another sideshow we could all do without.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Just put him in for the Gib game, job done. And all the other wannabes.

[Crosby87]

England seems to produce more Muslim terrorists than quality footballers these days.

[back of the net]

England seems to produce more Muslim terrorists than quality footballers these days.

Serious question Crosby - do you think before you post or do you type the first thing that comes into ur head?

[Stuttgart88]

Just put him in for the Gib game, job done. And all the other wannabes.I'll pack my boots.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

England have such an easy group they could pick a whole team of U21s and they'd qualify. They could easily call him up sometime soon, though even they would probably wait until he's established at club level first. Any England senior call up would be seen as cynical. It's a year until they can offer him a u21 call up, I think.

Let's see what pans out. He has rejected a partially cynical FAI attempt to call him up now. That's probably good advice.

He has consistently talked of playing for Ireland only in the present tense, refusing to get drawn into making firm statements committing to the future. He said something like he'd have been excited by the summer senior friendlies, none of which would have tied him.

England are clearly lurking and bending his ear. If he has made up his mind he'd make the switch now, or will do so shortly, without waiting for an England call up.

As things stand the door is still open for both countries. I personally dont blame him for that at all. He needs to do what's best for him. If his dad has his head screwed on he'll recognise that it's not all rosy in the FA's garden. Ask Jack Wilshere. The reality at England is that you're a zero unless you excel at a major tournament. With Jack's boyband good looks and sporting talent he'll be a star in Ireland with much less to prove, and much less baggage to carry through his club career.

I don't see any firm Ireland commitment anytime soon but I'm not sure we'll see an England declaration until he needs to give one either.

Another year of the Ireland team being secondary in the media's eyes to the speculation of a player's thoughts beckons methinks. Another sideshow we could all do without.

Isn't that what I was saying all along yet people accused me of misinterpreting his words/wumming/being cynical.

The father says if Jack plays competitively for England, he won't be able to return for Ireland. What is the significance of this? Why should that be a problem? Is he insinuating that if things don't work out with England, Jack would want to have Ireland as a fall back option? The lad is free to choose who he wants to play for but he has had/will continue to have long enough to think about it. His first decision should be his last decision and it's pretty inexcusable to have regrets about it.

I don't see what's cynical about England sniffing after him either. He was born and bred in the country. I think it's pretty cynical that Ireland have given him a chance at every International age group and (by the looks of things) Roy Keane is responsible for his promotion to the first team set up yet there is no reciprocation from Jack.

I don't think he is anywhere near England's radar either and with under a year left on his contract, off the back of a loan spell in League One and with the disarray at boardroom level at Villa, I find it far-fetched and hopeful that anyone at the club is pressuring him to declare for England.

[tetsujin1979]

I can see why a club might want him to be an England international purely from a transfer value perspective, although if he goes on to establish himself I'd imagine his transfer value will become what it is regardless of whether he's an Irish international or a English international. On the other hand a club might prefer one of their players to have nearly every summer off!

Anyway, I nominate Tets to get in touch with him via Twitter and ask him for clarity. As compiler of the Irish Abroad database Tets has a right to know. He can say he's already working on the 2015/16 edition and wants to know whether to include him or not!
Actually, I have very little contact with players on twitter, although Anthony Stokes and James McClean follow me. I think McClean's closed his account again though. I had a brief conversation with Stephen McPhail's wife once after he was booked and I posted it to twitter!
Anyway, thanks for the nomination, but I'm declining it. I'm not adding my voice to number of messages he already gets on a daily basis. See for yourself - https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=to%3Ajackgrealish1
some excerpts:
https://twitter.com/CillianDoyle13/status/503192755208982528

@JackGrealish1 (https://twitter.com/JackGrealish1) Declare for Ireland!! #BetterThanGlenWhelan (https://twitter.com/hashtag/BetterThanGlenWhelan?src=hash)
https://twitter.com/Hasher83/status/502904296623833089

@JackGrealish1 (https://twitter.com/JackGrealish1) Not in the @FAIreland (https://twitter.com/FAIreland) squad Jack?? Do I sense your about to opt out and hold on for the England call??
https://twitter.com/DeanFlynn85/status/502902624094797824

@JackGrealish1 (https://twitter.com/JackGrealish1) I might be bias cuz im a proud English man but u gotta choose England, the world needs to see your talent!
https://twitter.com/bazzyboo4/status/503110865772875776

@JackGrealish1 (https://twitter.com/JackGrealish1) you goin to turn ur back on Ireland now after England not rating u at underage??
I wasn't aware he was ever involved with England at underage level, in any capacity

he hasn't responded to any of these messages, so I doubt he'd reply to me either