25 June 2024 , 09:14
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Declan Rice has given a measured response to scathing comments from former team-mate James McClean after he insisted the England star is "very overrated".
The Arsenal ace, 25, was singled out by McClean last week after the entire England team were hammered for producing underwhelming performances against Serbia and Denmark at the start of their Euro 2024 campaign.
And while Rice chose to talk up his previous relationship with the veteran winger rather than hitting back, he did question whether McClean's comments were fuelled by "bitterness" in the wake of his decision to switch his international allegiance from the Republic of Ireland to England. Rice represented Ireland at youth level and won three caps for the senior team before pledging his future to England in 2019.
Speaking in an England press conference, Rice was asked about the comments and said: “Do you know what? I played with James for Ireland for three games and I got on with him really well. I am not going to sit here and slag him off. I thought he was a really top guy. When I left Ireland to come to England, I heard a few things he was obviously not happy about. He made comments a few years ago.
“It is what it is. I am not going to sit here and say anything about him. He’s had a great career himself - I think he is coming to the end of his career now and he’s got over a hundred caps for Ireland.
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“It would be easy for me to sit here and say something back to him but, like I said, we are at opposite ends of our careers now - he’s 35 and I’m 25. I’ve known him, I’ve played with him, he’s entitled to his opinion and I’ve had to fight a load of those opinions from other people before.”
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Declan Rice has responded to criticism directed at him by James McCleanHe added: “It might be a bit of bitterness towards me not playing for Ireland but I’ve not got a bad word to say about him, to be honest. I see the comments but I don’t try to put too much energy into it. It is what it is and you move on. You live and learn.”
Much has been made of England's approach against Serbia and Denmark with some believing the Three Lions lack energy. Others have picked holes in England's pressing, but Rice believes people will see a different team in Cologne on Tuesday night.
He added: “I mentioned the other day that it’s not as straightforward as it seems pressing a back five when there’s only three of them because you get overloaded on that side of the pitch. But it’s about getting that balance right, choosing when to go and picking your moments. You’ll see an England team tomorrow that will have a different pressing style that we’ve been working on. I think you’ll see a team that wants to be on the front foot and wants to press Slovenia high up the pitch.”