ENGLAND CAPTAIN WAYNE Rooney believes in-demand Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish should commit his international future to England — his country of birth — over Ireland.
Grealish, 19, has three Irish grandparents and played for the Republic of Ireland at youth level, but he is being courted by England’s Football Association following some stand-out displays for Villa in recent weeks.
Rooney himself has Irish heritage, but ahead of England’s friendly against Ireland in Dublin on Sunday, he said that he had never entertained thoughts about playing for any other country.
“I’m a firm believer that the country you are born in is who you should play for, but the rules are the rules,” he said on Saturday.
“It’s down to him (Grealish) to make the decision, and better sooner than later.
“I’ve never thought about playing for Ireland. I was born in England. I’m English.”
Birmingham-born Grealish turned down a call-up from Ireland manager Martin O’Neill for the latest round of international fixtures. England manager Roy Hodgson said he had not selected the teenager for fear of creating controversy.
Rooney revealed that at the age of 16, while he was playing for Everton’s youth team, Ireland manager Mick McCarthy sounded him out, using the club’s Irish international midfielder Lee Carsley as an intermediary.
“Lee Carsley, when I was at Everton, asked me about it and it never crossed my mind,” he said.
“(I have) Irish grandparents, so if they wanted to play for Ireland I’m sure they could have! It was never something I thought about.”
- FIFA scandal ‘sad’ -
Now 29 and a spokesperson in his role as captain for both club and country, Rooney was asked about the corruption scandal engulfing world governing body FIFA.
(Jack Grealish has enjoyed an encouraging season with Aston Villa)
“It’s obviously sad for football, what’s happening, and disappointing,” the Manchester United striker told reporters at the Aviva Stadium.
“But it’s not down to us to speak on it. It’s up to the authorities to sort it out and, hopefully, they’re doing a good job of that. Hopefully it’s sorted soon and football takes the centre stage again.”
Ireland’s preparations have been overshadowed by the revelation that FIFA paid the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) five million euros ($5.5 million) to stop them taking legal action after a handball by Thierry Henry took France to the 2010 World Cup at Ireland’s expense.
England were themselves victims of a refereeing error at that tournament, when Frank Lampard was denied a goal during their 4-1 last-16 loss to Germany despite his shot clearly bouncing behind the line.
But Rooney believes that no retrospective compensation can salve the wounds of on-pitch disappointment.
“What happens on a football pitch happens there,” he said. “Anything outside, in terms of payments, I know nothing about.”
Hodgson has confirmed that Rooney will start against Ireland on Sunday, when Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin and Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy will both be in line to make their international debuts.
Both teams are using the game to prepare for 2016 European Championship qualifying matches next weekend.
Group E leaders England visit Slovenia, while Ireland will seek to revive their Group D campaign at home to Scotland.
