'I was Ireland manager when Grealish and Rice defected to England - I couldn't care less'

The defection of Jack Grealish and Declan Rice to England from the Republic of Ireland didn't person a lasting interaction connected Martin O'Neill who revealed his thoughts connected the matter

Ex-Republic of Ireland brag Martin O'Neill bluntly admitted that helium "couldn't attraction less" that Jack Grealish and Declan Rice switched their planetary allegiance to correspond England.

Manchester City prima Grealish, 29, played for Ireland's under-17, under-18 and under-21 teams but turned down respective approaches for the seniors during O'Neill's stint successful charge, arsenic helium pledged his aboriginal to England successful 2015. Arsenal talisman Rice, 26, besides represented Ireland astatine younker level but, dissimilar Grealish, won 3 elder caps successful 2018 earlier opting to play for England a twelvemonth later.

O'Neill - who represented the nationalist squad from 2013 to 2018 - harbours nary hard feelings towards England brace and admitted that helium simply doesn't attraction astir the determination they made.

"Personally speaking, I couldn't attraction less," O'Neill told Jim White and Simon Jordan connected talkSPORT earlier this year. "Secondly, if I did care, past I would deliberation to myself, that Rice has chosen to play for England, what a unspeakable determination that's been! He's been to a mates of Euro finals and the Republic of Ireland haven't won a game.

"In fairness to Jack, Jack's begetter is English. At slightest I picked Rice for 3 games, helium played 3 planetary matches astatine elder level for us. He played precise good successful the games."

With the Premier League brace some being calved and raised successful England, O'Neill admitted that they were ever going to take to correspond the state of their birth, contempt their familial connections to Ireland.

"I would person loved for him [Rice] to person made that decision," the ex-Celtic and Aston Villa manager said. "But the determination was ever going to beryllium playing for England. Also with Jack Grealish, helium played astatine underage level for Ireland, but if it came to it, the large decision, helium was ever going to prime England."

The brace received a frosty reception astatine Aviva Stadium successful September erstwhile England kicked disconnected their Nations League run with a 2-0 triumph distant to Ireland.

Fatalistically, it was Rice and Grealish that grabbed the goals connected that occasion. While the Arsenal midfielder declined to celebrate, opting to enactment his hands up successful respect for the crowd, the City winger was jubilant successful his celebrations erstwhile doubling England's lead.

The 2 countries spell caput to caput again arsenic England play big astatine Wembley successful the last Nations League radical signifier crippled for some countries.

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