RICE GIVEN UNTIL XMAS TO CHOOSE

DECLAN RICE has been given a Christmas deadline to come clean on his international intentions.

The highly regarded West Ham teenager remains torn between choosing Ireland or England.

Ireland boss Martin O’neill has stressed the need to give the London-born 19-year-old time to reach a decision.

O’neill has not spoken to Rice since naming his provisional squad for the disappointing double-header against Denmark and Wales.

But he is open to further discussion with the defender or midfielder and his father Sean who is keen for his son to build on his three Ireland caps.

Asked if he would seeks talks ahead of the Northern Ireland friendly on November 15, O’neill said: “I don’t see why not.”

He added: “There’s a stage when no matter how talented you are, you have to come to some sort of decision. Certainly before the end of the year. There’s lots of time.”

Prior to Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Wales, the Ireland boss admitted that his team was “technically short”.

And O’neill won’t rule out spreading his net far and wide in the hope of snaring Irish-eligible players abroad.

“Ideally it would be fantastic if every single player playing for us came from Leinster, Munster and Connacht but in this day and age that’s not happening.

“So if we have to look slightly farther afield for players that we think might improve our team… everyone else is doing it so I might as well join in.

“In the scheme of things it would have been fantastic if we could have players from not too far away.”