West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has spoken about abuse from fans after opting to play for England over the Republic of Ireland – but says his parents were the only ones worried.
Born and raised in London, 20-year-old Rice was eligible for Ireland through his paternal grandparents, who are from Douglas in County Cork.
He represented Ireland at four youth levels, winning numerous individual accolades as the country’s most promising young player, and went on to make three senior appearances. However, after shining in the Premier League for the Hammers, he opted to commit his future to England in February this year.
He made his debut the following month, and won his fourth cap in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Bulgaria. His decision has attracted ire from some Irish fans, however, with some using social media to make threats against him.
“I’ve had a few bad bits,” Rice told ITV. “I’ve had people saying they’re going to come to my house, people online. There’s a few bits that I could go into.
“Threats to my family, threats to me. You’ll click on their profile and they will just be like a fake profile, so you don’t know if it’s true or not.
“But you know what, thinking about it now, I was never actually scared about it. There are always fans that are going to be giving you abuse and whatnot about it. You just have to look at it and laugh, think, ‘Yeah, alright, as if you’re going to come and do that’, that kind of thing.”
Getty ImagesReleased by Chelsea in 2014 after eight years in the club’s youth system, the Blues’ loss has been West Ham’s gain with Rice proving himself one of the most reliable defensive midfielders in the Premier League.
His inclusion against Bulgaria, starting in a three-man midfield with Jordan Henderson and Ross Barkley, suggests England boss Gareth Southgate sees him as a long-term solution in a position which has caused a headache to the Three Lions over the years.
Linked with both Manchester clubs over the summer, Rice will now be focusing on maintaining his form at West Ham with one eye on Euro 2020.
England will be expecting to take another step towards qualification against Kosovo on Tuesday, an achievement which would provide vindication for Rice’s choice of allegiance.
“It was tough, there has been some abuse,” he added. “But it’s more for my mum and dad, they’ve been more worried than anyone else.
“I was always quite strong-minded but my mum, with me being the youngest [of three brothers], was a bit worried. But I’m good, I don’t take any notice of it. I just try to keep focused.”