Declan Rice

[tricky_colour]

Odds of a move to man city slashed to 5/2.

[Olé Olé]

https://twitter.com/RealKevinPalmer/status/1090383918493249538?s=19

I hope Mick had his phone to hand last night.

[Bungle]

It's either a very good thing or a bad thing.
It could be one last attempt by Southgate to get rice on board as he's said that he is playing for us. Here's hoping.

[DeLorean]

Hmm, "imminent" (https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019/0110/1022416-rice-decision-imminent/), there's that word again.

[tetsujin1979]

that article is almost two weeks old

[DeLorean]

It's almost three weeks old. That's my point.

[Diggs246]

check out Rices marking for Wolves 2nd goal ( 7.24mins in)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JbM1MC7S4k

[Deckydee]

https://www.buzz.ie/football/gareth-southgate-planning-to-contact-declan-rice-today-315119


https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/gareth-southgate-pictured-at-west-ham-game-amid-reports-he-plans-to-make-contact-with-declan-rice-37763162.html

[Razors left peg]

When is the next squad due to be named? If he is not in that then I assume that will be the decision made and we probably wont hear anything up to that point

[SkStu]

When is the next squad due to be named? If he is not in that then I assume that will be the decision made and we probably wont hear anything up to that point

Next squad announcement is imminent.

(bout a month Razor)

[tetsujin1979]

Game against Gibraltar is the 26th of March, so I reckon the squad will be announced around the eighth

[Razors left peg]

If he was going to stay with us the professional way to go about would be just have McCarthy name him in the squad and just move on rather than a big social media BS announcement. There doesn't need to be big fanfare one way or other.

[Razors left peg]

Bit of an odd one this (Tin foil hats at the ready) , but if you go to www.faishop.com, in the banner ad for the away jersey Mr Rice is one of the 3 players pictured wearing the shirt.

Has this always been the case or is a little subtle hint of whats to come?

[CraftyToePoke]

Debate on that one, Eire Guide announced it as a return the other day, as having been removed when he took time out but that was disputed since as always having been there. I don't honestly know.

[Olé Olé]

I'm convinced or else convincing myself he will be named in the squad for March.

[DeLorean]

I'm convinced or else convincing myself he will be named in the squad for March.

No news is good news at this stage I feel also.

[jbyrne]

No news is good news at this stage I feel also.

there is merit in that view ok. with Englands euros campaign to start next month, along with their Nations League finals appearance in June, Rice would have to have started the change over process by now to be available to be involved. I would like to think the process wouldnt have started in advance of any public declaration to play for England.

[Olé Olé]

Is it possible to kick that process off without it leaking to the public though? Not sure why someone in the FAI wouldn't break rank and leak it if they saw a letter coming from the FA.

[IsMiseSean]

Is it possible to kick that process off without it leaking to the public though? Not sure why someone in the FAI wouldn't break rank and leak it if they saw a letter coming from the FA.

If the switching process had begun behind the scenes - it would have been leaked. Have the FAI anything to gain by keeping it quiet?

[DeLorean]

I just hope there isn't a Riceless squad announcement followed by Mick confirming he's requested "a little more time". I'd nearly prefer if he just chose England. Well, not really.

[Olé Olé]

I just hope there isn't a Riceless squad announcement followed by Mick confirming he's requested "a little more time". I'd nearly prefer if he just chose England. Well, not really.

Yeah, that would really be taking the mick. That, coupled with the fact that there have been no murmurs of the switching process being initiated, would suggest that he's sticking with us or is hoping to play himself into contention with England from next season on. I think it's clear that if he were eligible he'd be in England's squad in March.

[TrapAPony]

I just hope there isn't a Riceless squad announcement followed by Mick confirming he's requested "a little more time". I'd nearly prefer if he just chose England. Well, not really.

To be honest, if Rice is not in the next squad we should forget about him. Nobody needs that amount of time to make up their mind.

[Olé Olé]

To be honest, if Rice is not in the next squad we should forget about him. Nobody needs that amount of time to make up their mind.

I think you're right in one sense but he was born in England and is keeping them waiting long enough too. Do you think they would take the same stance?

[jbyrne]

I think you're right in one sense but he was born in England and is keeping them waiting long enough too. Do you think they would take the same stance?

he hasn't already got 3 england caps.
if he hasn't confirmed by the march squad then that's the end of my patience with it

[TrapAPony]

I think you're right in one sense but he was born in England and is keeping them waiting long enough too. Do you think they would take the same stance?

England have nothing to lose as he was never their player in the first place. We are the ones who Rice has played all the way up along for at underage level and has 3 caps at Senior level. He has been given more than enough time by the FAI and I am definitely of the opinion that if he is not in the squad for the Gibraltar match then he is best forgotten.

[geysir]

England have nothing to lose as he was never their player in the first place. We are the ones who Rice has played all the way up along for at underage level and has 3 caps at Senior level. He has been given more than enough time by the FAI and I am definitely of the opinion that if he is not in the squad for the Gibraltar match then he is best forgotten.
On one level I agree, on another my desire to have him fully onboard would not be diminished if he just chose to make himself available for the June games.
You'd think he wouldn't look forward to being a part of another team (besides West Ham) where his name is pronounced Wice by all and sundry.

[Fixer82]

When is the squad for upcoming games being announced?

[Fixer82]

Game against Gibraltar is the 26th of March, so I reckon the squad will be announced around the eighth

I’ll go off this. ;)

[DeLorean]

You'd think he wouldn't look forward to being a part of another team (besides West Ham) where his name is pronounced Wice by all and sundry.

To be fair, only Roy Hodgson and Alan Smith would call him that.

[tetsujin1979]

Rice confirms switch to England
1095714256421560320
I'll leave the thread in the Ireland forum for now, and move it to Other Football when the discussion has taken its course

Please keep your replies respectful

[Olé Olé]

Issued a statement declaring for England.

[Deckydee]

Go to hell Rice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/statement-rice-confirms-international-future

[TrapAPony]

Seen it on Sky Sports news. Jack Grealish can rest easy tonight, Rice is by far the worst one yet.

[osarusan]

Very disappointing but tbf I thought the statement was well written.

He's already good enough for Ireland, not sure if he is ready for the England team.

Good luck to him.

[Olé Olé]

Very disappointing but tbf I thought the statement was well written.

He's already good enough for Ireland, not sure if he is ready for the England team.

Good luck to him.

Of course it was well-written- he had 6 months to write it.

Really gutted over this. I wish him the best but I hold some disdain for the whole episode.

[backstothewall]

Before the thread gets moved/binned I just wanted to say that I hope he is inflicted with some flesh eating infection of the genitals in the very near future.

[livehead1]

Don't be so naive as to think he wrote this himself. This is written by his agent trying to put as positive a slant on this as possible. What I would read into it is the following:

What is best for my career = what is best for my bank balance.

Putting all the dual nationality stuff aside, it's sad that international football has come down to money. It hasn't only recently happened, it's been going that way for a number of years. I am happy to see players representing Ireland who want to play for them as their first choice. Away days are just as enjoyable whether the team are any good or not!

[jbyrne]

don't think kilbane is too impressed!....


if you’re a “proud Englishman” then why play for us in the first place?

[TrapAPony]

Very disappointing but tbf I thought the statement was well written.

It is fairly obvious that Rice didn't write it.

[DeLorean]

I'm not convinced Rice is thinking about his bank balance, but major tournaments and even the possibility of playing in World Cup or Euro finals, even winning one. In many ways it's a no brainer for somebody who claims to be 50/50 otherwise. His senior caps for us feels like new territory though and will (rightly I think) leave a bad taste. Gutted!

[shakermaker1982]

We all knew it was coming but I’m still pi$$ed off.

It’s bad enough changing at under age but to do it at senior level is poor form.

[bwagner]

Can a football association retract International caps?

[shakermaker1982]

I hope so! I was just thinking the same thing!!! Haha.

[IsMiseSean]

Feck all this 'I wish him well' nonsense. I hope he suffers a career ending injury in the near future.

Yes I'm angry and probably over-reacting.

[Paddy Garcia]

I'd rather he had not mentioned Integrity - a total lack of .....

[RiffRaff]

Lets move on. A half hearted international player is no use to us. Quite likely he will retire from international football at 28 or 29, to "concentrate on his club career". I would think there will be a sour taste for England fans as well that he would contemplate representing someone else before declaring for them

[tommy_c12000]

Disappointing but not unexpected. I don’t fancy him as a center half. And is playing in the easiest position on the pitch as a sitting defensive midfielder. Breaking up play well, plays the simple passes, but does not appear to have the ability for defense splitting passes as of yet. Let’s see how he turns out. Hopefully he won’t turn out as good as the press are bigging him up to be....time to move on agreed.

[OwlsFan]

Disappointing but at least the circus is now over. Time for this thread to move to World Football. Have a rice day!

[SeanDrog]

Disappointing but at least the circus is now over.!

Exactly my feeling too.

[tricky_colour]

No surprise is it?

It is inevitable when they delay, all they are doing is putting off announcing the bad news, can't blame em really I guess,
don't do today what you can put off till tomorrow.