


Of course some of this problem is Ireland's football association's fault too - when you continue to target young players not born in Ireland, then you are always gonna be vulnerable to this type of outcome. Over here they have started under-age league's at various age groups for the big clubs to develop their own players instead of depending on smaller clubs throughout the country to do the groundwork for them - the concept idea to this is that it will create a better pathway for young players to the league of Ireland and then up to professional clubs and International football, but within months of that big announcement, several young players were called up to the various squads that had not been born in Ireland either

The thing about this is that rice will eventually suffer too - lets be honest here and admit that rice is a good player, but nothing more than that. For Ireland he would have been a key part of the team for years to come because that is where we are now, but for England he will be another peripheral player who might get a few caps, but will never establish himself as a regular in England's team