Mick McCarthy has weighed in on the Declan Rice situation, asking that people have 'consideration' for his current plight.
The former Republic of Ireland manager joined Off The Ball to discuss his upcoming punditry with Virgin Media Sport, his next managerial job and what actually happened in Saipan. But, as a man from a mixed-heritage family, like Rice, Mick was contemplative on the own decision that he had to make.
"My dad told me I could play for either [country]. I never in a million years thought that I'd be good enough to play for either! But I had the choice, if it ever came around.
"When it did come around, it was an absolute no-brainer for me to play."
On Declan Rice, in particular:
"I am asking people to have a bit of consideration for Declan Rice. Because he's a very good player - I tried to get him on loan at Ipswich. He is somebody that we should be wanting to play for us. Quite clearly, the management team do.
"But it is a very powerful argument if Gareth Southgate, on the back of that World Cup, has called him and said 'Declan, just consider your future. We have this vibrant young team that had a great World Cup and got to the semi-final. We could get to the final and have a chance of winning this with players like you coming through.'
"I don't know what he's saying to him, but that would be me. If I wanted him, I would be putting a very powerful argument up.
"The other powerful argument, even more so, is the euphoria that I haven't seen since 1996 that this World Cup produced in England. It was like us in 1988, 1990 and 1994.
"He might be looking at that and thinking 'I'd like a bit of that,' and he's entitled to his choice."
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