Manuel Pellegrini has waded into Declan Rice’s Ireland or England international dilemma and said: “He must let his heart decide.”
The Hammers boss refuses to advise the teenager on which call he should make saying: He has a big problem, but I think that his heart must decide if he feels more Irish or more English.
“He is 19 years old and his future will allow him to play for England or Ireland.
“Maybe for him it can be more easy to play for Ireland, but if you trust in yourself and you feel that you are an English player…?
It is a personal decision, it is very difficult to give advice, but I am always speaking with him because he is young and he has a lot of future.
“With the way he is managing his career, at 19 years old, he is a player that is completing his development as a player in a physical way.
“When you are 19 you need to be strong – he is a strong player, he is a good technical player. I think he has a big future.
“With England he will have big competition, but I think he is able to take that challenge, without giving him a decision. He must take the decision himself.”
