Declan Rice has hit back at the ‘overrated’ comments made by former international teammate Jamie McClean.
Following the Denmark game, McClean said Rice was ‘overrated’ and not ‘world-class’, which sparked plenty of debates on social media.
Rice played three games with McLean for the Republic of Ireland in 2018 before switching to the England national team.
Rice was asked about what McClean said in a press conference on Monday ahead of England’s final group stage game against Slovenia on Tuesday.
Rice 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.
“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.”
Rice 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.”
The post Declan Rice responds to ‘overrated’ comments from Jamie McClean: “It might be a bit of bitterness towards me not playing for Ireland” appeared first on AFTV.
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