Declan Rice

[Olé Olé]

Bit worrying that he is talking about it - this isn't Sam Allardyce blowing his top because Kevin Kilbane turned down a call-up from England U18s - unless he really is ignorant of his players' status, this is the club owner basically telling an incoming manager to pressure a teenager to switch allegiance. If this is the case and Rice still appears in the Nations' League games in the autumn, then he deserves go even higher up in everybody's estimation.

But in this case, I would be close to assuming the "he is really ignorant of his players' status" piece...

[Olé Olé]

https://twitter.com/_DeclanRice/status/1023259934211878912?s=20

Interesting Tweet from Rice who is enjoying playing in midfielder, where MON likes to play him. Kouyate heavily linked with Palace also but you would imagine they will still sign midfielders.

[samhaydenjr]

https://twitter.com/_DeclanRice/status/1023259934211878912?s=20

Interesting Tweet from Rice who is enjoying playing in midfielder, where MON likes to play him. Kouyate heavily linked with Palace also but you would imagine they will still sign midfielders.

That would be good, because suddenly we seem like we may be sorted for central defenders, with Long, Duffy and Clark PL regulars, with Jimmy Dunne coming through and Tommie Hoban hopefully getting his promising career back on track, with teenagers Conor Masterson, Ryan Nolan and Tyreke Wilson recently hovering around the squads of major clubs and with John Egan making a big-money move to a big Championship club. It's our midfield starting to look a little threadbare, with only Hendrick, Brady, Arter and injury-prone McCarthy as likely PL regulars next season - hopefully Cullen will break into the West Ham team and we do have some decent midfield back-up in the Championship but it would be important to have another PL midfielder in our squad

[liamoo11]

https://twitter.com/_DeclanRice/status/1023259934211878912?s=20

Interesting Tweet from Rice who is enjoying playing in midfielder, where MON likes to play him. Kouyate heavily linked with Palace also but you would imagine they will still sign midfielders.

whats the contract issue is he out if contract next summer？

[irishfan86]

An interesting start to the season for Rice. Pellegrini started him in the holding position in front of the back four, a huge leap of faith. Then, with Liverpool dominating midfield, he was taken off at half time.

Liverpool — at Anfield no less — was a pretty big ask for a guy who played primarily as a defender last season — but I hope Rice doesn’t now find himself on the periphery.

[Olé Olé]

He cut an understandably forlorn figure as he was sat right behind Pellegrini for the second half.

Things didn't get much better for West Ham in his absence anyway.

[Diggs246]

I think the fact that the hammers were worse in the 2nd, should mean no harm done. He was better then Wilshire imo

[OwlsFan]

Didn't see the game but noticed he was subbed early doors (as they say). Could responsibility for any of the goals be laid at his feet or was the substitution a tactical move for a change of formation?

[Diggs246]

Didn't see the game but noticed he was subbed early doors (as they say). Could responsibility for any of the goals be laid at his feet or was the substitution a tactical move for a change of formation?

Change if tactics they brought snograss on, Rice didn't nothing wrong imo

[DeLorean]

I only saw a small bit but he was dispossessed a couple of times due to Liverpool's high press. Long ball is the way to go at Anfield!

[Colbert Report]

I love the guy but he had a terrible first half and was really exposed, totally out of his element playing the holding role.

Granted, Liverpool might make a lot of holding midfielders look bad this season but West Ham should really have someone better than Rice in that position.

[Colbert Report]

Rice left out of the matchday squad today home to Bournemouth. West Ham had some joker named Balbuena playing at centre back and he did not do well at all so hopefully Rice can find his way back into the team.

[Park_Lane]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/why-alarm-bells-should-be-ringing-for-martin-oneill-ahead-of-crucial-talks-with-declan-rice-37250825.html

England still sniffing around, hopefully nothing comes of it.

[Diggs246]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/why-alarm-bells-should-be-ringing-for-martin-oneill-ahead-of-crucial-talks-with-declan-rice-37250825.html

England still sniffing around, hopefully nothing comes of it.

Its slightly worrying that ONeill thinks a face to face meeting is nessasary. Why?
A two second phone call would do. If he did leg (which i doubt he will tbf )it would be ten times worse than Grealish-gate

[Deckydee]

http://www.offtheball.com/Soccer/Gary-Breen-tells-Martin-ONeill-not-to-worry-about-Declan-Rice

[liamoo11]

Worth having a look at diops og yesterday horrible agricultural hoof up in the air in the box under no pressure then awful body shape to deflect shot in. Then got nutmegged for the third goal. Maybe give rice a chance as centre half?

[Diggs246]

MON was interviewed by Tony O'D today and there was no mention of Rice in the interview? Again why would Tony not ask about Rice unless he was asked not to. Excuse the pun but is there something rotten in Denmark?

[tetsujin1979]

Because there's no story?

[Diggs246]

Because there's no story?

Yeah, I think your right. Im beung paranoid

Its just unusual that a face to face meeting had to be held

[tetsujin1979]

Even calling it a "face to face" meeting is a bit much. Isn't it just as likely that O'Neill was at a West Ham and said hello to him after the game?

[Diggs246]

Look im sure its nothing and he will be named today in squad

[Olé Olé]

Look im sure its nothing and he will be named today in squad
What time is the squad named does anyone know?

[tetsujin1979]

Usually around lunchtime

[The Fly]

Rice not named in the squad.

O'Neill: "He is still deliberating. He is a young man. England have spoken to him. He is taking time to make his mind up. He has done brilliantly for us. I'm giving him a little bit of time."

[Cathalsmart]

Rice not named in the squad.

O'Neill: "He is still deliberating. He is a young man. England have spoken to him. He is taking time to make his mind up. He has done brilliantly for us. I'm giving him a little bit of time."


Could also just be named in our Under 21 squad.

[Diggs246]

No he has ****ed us Im afriad

[Cathalsmart]

Would you blame him, quite clear to see how poison our camp is now.

[Diggs246]

Would you blame him, quite clear to see how poison our camp is now.

I do blame him, he has three senior caps for us

[Cathalsmart]

And saw how first hand how poison it is, according to Shane Supple the coaching is pathetic and the players arent happy as well.

[Cathalsmart]

Why dont the English FA take their eye off us ad actually focus on players like Ampadu,Brooks, etc? No, want to help little England as much as possbile.

[RiffRaff]

Usually when players want more time to make up their mind, they actually mean more time to wait on a call from England. We need to forget about him and move on. I would say he's blocked the progress of other players but judging by the latest squad, nobody new would have got a look in anyway

[Cathalsmart]

Maybe this is a tactic from the English FA to give little England a better chance against us by taking possibly our top 3 player away from us.

[Cathalsmart]

I'm committed to Wales and don't have any interest in going back to England,'' Brooks said. "I wouldn't be travelling across the world if I didn't want to be here. I've just got to work hard here to get in the manager's plans in the future.''
I had expressed my interest to Wales, but it hadn't come around at the time when England offered for me to go the Toulon Tournament,'' Brooks said. "I had no knowledge of being in the Wales squad, and when the squad came out I'd already made plans to go away with England.
"It was a misunderstanding on the social media front, and I had to fulfil the agreement I had with England. Thankfully, after that Wales got in touch and it hadn't put them off that I'd played for England.
"I spoke to Rob Page [Wales U21 manager] and he said 'Just go away and have a good tournament with England' and come down to a camp with us after.
God, wouldnt be great to hear an English born players Irish player say this kind of thing... a pipe dream.

[IsMiseSean]

Grealish, Crowley, Kelly and now Rice have all turned down call-ups now. All while MON has been in charge...

*Technically Crowley's father only spoke to MON about declaring.

[Cathalsmart]

Grealish, Crowley, Kelly and now Rice have all turned down call-ups now. All while MON has been in charge...

*Technically Crowley's father only spoke to MON about declaring.

And how many have actually declared? Its nice to see O'Neill is trying to be the professional one in this but in the end nice guys finish last and it looks we will likely be bringing up the rear once again in an eligibility battle.

[Bungle]

The lad is right to take his time. It's a real shame but he is English born.

My feeling is that he is good enough to win a bag load of caps for England and be in their team for a very long time. They are a very good side with a good future. We are a very poor team with potentially a good future in a few years.

I think it is odds on he will play for England.

[tetsujin1979]

And how many have actually declared? Its nice to see O'Neill is trying to be the professional one in this but in the end nice guys finish last and it looks we will likely be bringing up the rear once again in an eligibility battle.

Robinson and Christie

[Cathalsmart]

Robinson and Christie

By declare I mean with actual potential to play for England, you seriously think Robinson would play for us if he was good enough for England?

[Park_Lane]

Its very disheartening. His agent has obviously been in his ear and advised him to speak to England and also made him aware of the difference in future transfer fees , endorsements etc etc if he throws his lot in with England which I assume he will do now.
As disappointing as this is it highlights the fallacy of aggressively recruiting English born players to play for Ireland. There will always be a tug of war over those who are any good and we are wasting time and resources which could be spend on developing Irish talent. Saying that I've not problem with Foreigh born players actively declaring for us and showing interest in playing for us, which I suppose Rice has done by playing for us 3 times.

[johnnyc]

Disheartening is right. I lost interest in club football years ago. The Ireland team was the last thing that kept me interested. A combination of the negative style of play, the absence of any real quality, guys choosing us because they'd not get near international football for anyone else and now the likes of Grealish, Kelly and Rice... I'm done.

[Cathalsmart]

The one thing that gave me hope was we finally had a player who hadnt ditched us for a change and now that one player has inevitably ditched us...

[jbyrne]

disappointing alright. its only going to go one way from here and i cant see a way back for him for us in any case to be realistic.

[Deckydee]

Indeed, there is no way back from this. He should never be allowed to return. This all makes for very sad reading :o(

Kevin Kilbane - Not happy with decision: https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/former-ireland-star-kevin-kilbane-reacts-strongly-to-the-news-declan-rice-is-deliberating-over-his-international-future-37256102.html

Even after poor Gary Breen stuck his neck out: http://www.offtheball.com/Soccer/Gary-Breen-tells-Martin-ONeill-not-to-worry-about-Declan-Rice
(http://www.offtheball.com/Soccer/Gary-Breen-tells-Martin-ONeill-not-to-worry-about-Declan-Rice)
So much for this: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlmoHW9WwAEepyF.jpg:large

[TrapAPony]

Most likely he will choose the England U21 squad ahead of playing for us competitively. His choice but for me Rice will definitely be worse than Grealish ever was especially having been capped for us 3 times already.

[Stuttgart88]

Most likely he will choose the England U21 squad ahead of playing for us competitively. His choice but for me Rice will definitely be worse than Grealish ever was especially having been capped for us 3 times already.
I don't think he can play for England U21s competitively until the next campaign.

[The Fly]

All the "IT'S COMING HOME" stuff over the summer has probably had an effect.

[Diggs246]

He wore our national team jersey representing our country and our people, I dont care how old he is, he is a grown man and he ****ed us.

[jbyrne]

i am surprised that he has opted for the holding area approach of "still thinking about it".
he must know that there is realistically no way back now.
its disappointing but i will be over it by tomorrow.... i now know he isn't fully committed to us and that's not the kind of player i want to be supporting

[TrapAPony]

I don't think he can play for England U21s competitively until the next campaign.
He will probably still choose that over representing us at a senior competitive international.

[Diggs246]

Lads I know we are shy on premier league players, but can we please show ourselves the respect we deserve as great fans and not take him back, even if he changed his mind now today