DECLAN: IRELAND THE ONLY TEAM I WANT TO PLAY FOR
DECLAN RICE insists England would be wasting their time asking him to declare.
The West Ham starlet flew out with the Republic of Ireland squad to Turkey yesterday and is adamant he is not for turning.
This will be the 19-year-old’s first involvement with Martin O’neill’s squad proper having previously trained with them at Fota Island before last summer’s trip to America.
He is poised to win his first senior cap in Friday’s friendly in Antalya before linking up with the Irish Under-21s for
Tuesday’s European qualifier against Azerbaijan in Tallaght.
England boss Gareth Southgate said in January he was keen on Rice and O’neill (inset) said he would not put him under pressure to declare for Ireland.
But London-born Rice – who has played all his underage football with the Boys in Green – said: “There’s no decision to be made. I’m here with Ireland and I’ve been called up by Martin.
“If I didn’t want to play for Ireland I wouldn’t. I’m really looking forward to this week and getting to know the boys better.
“I haven’t had a call from anyone at the FA. Not at all. England have never wanted me at under-age level, it’s always been Ireland.”
Asked would he meet Southgate for a chat if a call did come, Rice said: “No, not at all. I’m fully focused on playing with Ireland. We’ve got an important under-21 game coming up and if I think about that stuff too much, it will start to take me off my football. I let my dad deal with it. Not me.”