Rice issue an international problem

CREDIBILITY is the issue in the Declan Rice story.

And it’s not the credibility of the player that is most relevant – even if the badge-kissing and the jersey-clutching footage of Rice (inset) from an Ireland Under 21 match earlier this year will look foolish if and when he makes his England debut.

No, the credibility of international soccer is imperilled by a rule that allows a player to represent two countries at senior international level.

That leeway should be extended to underage players is understandable: identity is a more fluid concept in the world today, and decisions taken as a 14year-old should not keep a player tethered to a jersey that, in time, they may not want to wear.

However, if senior international soccer is to retain its status, stricter rules must apply. It doesn’t have the concentrated quality of the club game to keep fans interested; the English, Spanish, Italian and Champions Leagues give supporters access to the best players and best teams every week.

For the international game to matter, it needs something else, and national identity remains its allure. But that needs to be protected, and allowing a player to play a friendly for one country and then switch to another, seriously damages its credibility. Ireland will suffer on the field if Rice switches to England – but so, too, will the reputation of international soccer.