Gareth Southgate insists that he in no way pressured him into making a decision to represent England during the player’s recent international dilemma.
And it’s hard to believe that the calm and collected England boss – who is widely recognised as one of the most honest guys in the game is telling anything other than the truth.
He happily admits he told Declan exactly how he much liked him as a player but then left him alone to make his own decision when the talking was done.
That the England boss should choose to make his thoughts on the situation public in a Talksport interview demonstrates the honesty of his words because in reality he had absolutely no reason to mention the situation at all.
And it may also show that he may well be ready to give the young Hammer a quick call-up into his international squad for the upcoming games.
The Three Lions boss said: ” “There’s a good debate to be had about what the rules are. We’re asking players to make big decisions in their life very early. Declan is still 19-years-old.
“Lots of kids in our junior system play for one or two countries at 15 or 16 and they then become attached with a country.
“Some players we’ve lost at a young age, others have come over to us so it is fluid within youth football.
“Declan is the same age as those kids and has played first-team football. But I think we’re asking him to make really big decisions and that’s why I backed away from his decisions.
“He knew what we thought of him as a player but it was important that he had the space to make that decision.
“While the rules are what they are I think that’s going to happen. Families are moving countries, the world is a lot more fluid in terms of eligibility. The only guide we can take are by the rules and they are as they are.”
He still shouldn’t have played 3 senior games for Ireland. Morally wrong what he did.
Why is it morally wrong? Please explain…
Surely to continue to play for a country that you have no passion for would be morally wrong and therefore he has made the right choice.
I don’t agree it was morally wrong and I don’t agree he had no passion for when he played those friendlies, I think at the time he was fully committed to Ireland, the system is to blame as alluded too by Southgate, I agree DiCanio if you play at full international level i.e. the adult team you should be considered a full international whether friendly or otherwise. I also think Declan see’s himself as both English and Irish which is natural.Only he knows but I think he was genuine in his answer about choosing which country to represent.