Declan Rice has admitted choosing England over the Republic of Ireland was very tough for him.
The West Ham United midfielder decided to switch his allegiance to the Three Lions having played for the Irish side a number of times. But all of his appearances came in friendly matches leaving him free to take a decision as according to FIFA one is entitled to change his
Rice had three Irish caps but was yet to play in a competitive match. He was born in London and thus he was eligible to play for his country of birth. The 20 year old has been a revelation in the London stadium and has been a regular under Manuel Pellegrini.
Rice said, “It is the toughest decision I have had to make so far in my career.
“Being so young, I didn’t think I would ever be in a position to make that call but it’s one that I have made and one that I am looking forward to in the future.”
“Last year I made some mistakes but I have bounced back from that,
“I got subbed at Liverpool, knowing I had to work harder to get back in the team.
“But I have found my place in the team, the manager has shown a lot of belief and trust in me. I am really grateful to him for that.
“I am loving it, I am really enjoying it. Last year was tough because I was in and out of the side and the start of this season was tough.
“I am playing with a smile on my face, which is the main thing.”
