September 6th 2024.
It's going to be a tense game when England takes on Republic of Ireland in Dublin. Lee Carsley, a former Ireland player, will lead the Three Lions as interim manager for the first time. But the real story is the two players who will be facing off against their former team - Declan Rice and Jack Grealish.
Both Rice and Grealish have worn green in the past. Rice, who was born and raised in Kingston-Upon-Thames, qualified for Ireland through his grandparents and played for their youth teams. He even represented the first team in three friendly matches and was seen as a potential future captain. But in 2018, doubts began to arise about his long-term commitment to the team. Ultimately, he made the decision to switch to England in February 2019.
Grealish, who was born in Birmingham, also qualified for Ireland through his grandparents and played for their youth teams. However, in 2014, he turned down a call-up to the senior team in favor of playing for England's Under-21s under the guidance of Gareth Southgate. The following year, he officially declared for England and has since become a regular for the national team.
But as the two players prepare to face off against their former team, they can expect a hostile reception from Irish fans who have not forgotten or forgiven their decisions to switch allegiances. Their old friend Callum Robinson, who came up through the Aston Villa academy with Grealish, will be on the opposing side and has warned that Grealish should expect boos from the crowd.
The game between Republic of Ireland and England is set to kick off at 5pm on Saturday 7 September, with live coverage on ITV and ITV X. It's sure to be an intense match as these two teams begin their Nations League campaign.
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