Declan Rice

[Eminence Grise]

When you look at his words on this and switching, it's so obvious they were written by an agent or West Ham/England's PR team: shallow, calculated, lingistically false (nobody talks like a press release is written, especially sports ones which tend to be most cliche ridden of all). He's getting bad PR advice. Maybe his advisors think he's best served by being protected like this or maybe he's just incapable of taking personal responsibility, but the best way to put this kind of thing to bed is for him to give one or two key interviews to the national media: be humble, apologise, focus on his growing maturity. But I think there are elements in the British media that will never let him forget his Oirish connections, and he could be in for a bumpy ride - he might need to put his press person on retainer! The more that comes out, the more I think we've dodged a bullet with him.

[The Fly]

Such a statement he only said it to show support for his team mates sure all them Irish are ra heads. This lad is incapable of taking responsibility for his actions. He will have to wear a poppy all year round to make up for this

Or...line up for West Ham in November like this -

https://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/applications/core/interface/imageproxy/imageproxy.php?img=http://branches.britishlegion.org.uk/media/3869535/2014-05-10-131406_452x751.jpg&key=9e2387f30703d34283a42e06094e1572085778ca497eb1 7e271e60914176d1b4

[NeverFeltBetter]

When you look at his words on this and switching, it's so obvious they were written by an agent or West Ham/England's PR team: shallow, calculated, lingistically false (nobody talks like a press release is written, especially sports ones which tend to be most cliche ridden of all). He's getting bad PR advice. Maybe his advisors think he's best served by being protected like this or maybe he's just incapable of taking personal responsibility, but the best way to put this kind of thing to bed is for him to give one or two key interviews to the national media: be humble, apologise, focus on his growing maturity. But I think there are elements in the British media that will never let him forget his Oirish connections, and he could be in for a bumpy ride - he might need to put his press person on retainer! The more that comes out, the more I think we've dodged a bullet with him.

Strangely, the piece the BBC did on him yesterday, aside from being fawning to an inane degree, barely mentioned his time with Ireland, only bringing it up to praise him not "taking the easy option" by switching, and repeating the lie that he only played for Ireland underage. In the end, how the English media treats him will depend on performances; if he does badly for whatever reason, they will undoubtedly tear him to pieces.

[Fizzer]

Rice has now ruined watching England for me.I used to enjoy their huffing and puffing around the pitch,mystified as they inevitably failed to dispatch inferior opposition with any kind of ease.Now I just desperately want them to get battered in every match and Rice to score a record number of international og’s book-ended by two cruciate injuries (a second after a lengthy recovery period).Now he’s only on the bench! Get him on Garreth so his decline can start properly!

[pineapple stu]

And on he goes...

[Fizzer]

Rice dropped after a horror show against the Czechs.England battering Bulgaria without him.Long may it continue....

[Fizzer]

He’s having a horror-season this far, being found out and looking less like Roy Keane and more like David Batty with each failure, a passenger in a one-all with Sheffield Utd today. He’s basically being accommodated by Pellegrini now even in home games. Usually problematic politically for a club manager to drop an England starter so hopefully Southgate will continue to bench him. Interesting to see how West Ham behave in the January window, he’s gone from being a Man Utd target to a liability for the ‘ammers. Hopefully he’ll be enjoying his pie and jellied eels at Southend before long.

[Fizzer]

Satisfyingly anonymous today rather than his usual overtly awful.West ‘am 3-0 down at one point against Newcastle before rallying and getting two back.

[Closed Account 2]

Decline Rice...

[DeLorean]

Fizzer's voodoo doll doing the trick.

[Closed Account 2]

He's been heavily linked with a move to Man Utd, possibly even in January. I think it would be a smart bit of business for WHam to sell him if they could get £50+ million (and with Ed Woodward pulling the strings they have every chance of achieving that). He might find it hard to get into this Man Utd team (which is saying something) as I'm not sure he's better than McTominay

[NeverFeltBetter]

Probably better options for 50 mill out there really. Man Utd wouldn't pay up for that Newcastle lad during the summer when that was the asking price, so while Woodward is obviously not the best pair of hands on the transfer tiller, don't think he'll be too eager to bite based on Rice's current form.

If Rice is aiming for a "big" club, he should probably be looking elsewhere, like Chelsea or even Arsenal or Leicester.

[Fizzer]

Fizzer's voodoo doll doing the trick.

Hopefully Del :) He was on the receiving-end of another whupping today. 3-0 Burnley. Rice directly at fault for the first and not quick enough tracking back for the second. His England place has to be at risk at this stage.

[Fizzer]

Beaten again by Wolves this time.He wasn’t the worst hammer today but is noticeably bad at defending set pieces.Never seems to even jump.

[Fizzer]

Directly at fault for the second goal in a 2-1 loss to Palace, from being one-nil up. Arguably not great for the first goal either (if you’re really looking to criticise), in that he allowed too much space for the cross.A central figure in West Ham’s dreadful decline. Doesn’t seem to get involved in attacking play at all, this could be due to tactics/instructions because he can actually be quite good striding out with the ball.West Ham now in real relegation trouble (albeit they do have a game in hand) Pellegrini a cert for the chop you would think.Be interesting to see what a new man will do, absolutely no doubt but if Rice was Irish he’d be firmly on the bench by now, or worse, but of course......he isn’t.

[Fizzer]

Captains the hammers in a 2-1 home loss to Leicester reserves.Team booed off, Pellegrini sacked. Tremendous.

[SkStu]

After today’s game against Sheffield United, I just wanted to

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

AHAHAHAHA

[Fizzer]

Beaten by Liverpool tonight and now hovering over the drop-zone on goal difference. West Ham have a very tough run of fixtures coming up. The form that they’re in I’d have them going down.I wouldn’t be amazed if they finished bottom, there’s no major pressure on Norwich and they have to play each other again as well.Bournemouth have players coming back in and Watford are fighting hard.Rice with a couple of chances tonight that he couldn’t covert.He can show flashes occasionally but looks very one-paced, it seems easy for teams to just pass around him.Reminds me of an even slower Matic. Wonder would he stick with them in the Championship......I mean he loves them so much and all....

[Closed Account 2]

If he left that wouldn't fit with David Gold's vision of him being the new Bobby Moore, captaining England and West Ham in the world cup final.

[DeLorean]

He could win the Euros at Wembley before heading off though. It's comin' home... innit?

[paul_oshea]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/euro-2020/it-was-done-then-declan-rice-says-atmosphere-around-englands-world-cup-2018-games-made-his-mind-up-to-switch-40521629.html

He's ours to lose.

[jbyrne]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/euro-2020/it-was-done-then-declan-rice-says-atmosphere-around-englands-world-cup-2018-games-made-his-mind-up-to-switch-40521629.html

He's ours to lose.


"If I didn't want to be playing for Ireland, I wouldn't be here."

"My family are very happy that I'm playing with Ireland. It's my dad's side, and he's really, really proud. He wants me to play for Ireland, and I'm really happy to play for Ireland."

"I've got to live up to some legends like Robbie Keane and Liam Brady."

"Mark O'Toole from the FAI has looked after me well back in England to the point that I consider him a father figure."

Source: D Rice, various occasions