Declan Rice has declined his latest call up by Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill with the manager explaining that the 19 year-old West Ham star has decided to take more time to weigh up his international future.
Rice - who had been capped at underage level and impressed in his senior appearances for Ireland this year - has repeatedly stated his commitment to the Irish cause. Yet as O'Neill named his squad for the Nations League game against Wales at the start of next month, a match that would have decided his future once and for all in the event that he had featured, the Irish manager says that the player wanted to reflect further.
"He is still deliberating,” said the manager “He is a young man, England have spoken to him, we are aware of that and he is taking a little more time to make his mind up.
“I’m still hopeful at this stage but I’ve said from the very beginning that it was not over the line. I’m always hopeful, though.”
O'Neill suggested that Rice's performances against Turkey, France and the USA might actually have complicated the situation with the London born player having most likely caught the eye of England manager Gareth Southgate.
“The England manager has clearly seen what he has seen the games that he has played for us and said: ‘Hold on!’
“I’m disappointed, not frustrated, but it is the nature of these things.”
The provisional squad named on Monday is in preparation for the Nations League opener on September 6th and an international friendly with Poland on September 11th.
Injury results in Everton midfielder James McCarthy (leg), Robbie Brady, (ankle) Scott Hogan (groin), and Preston North End forward Sean Maguire (hamstring) being ruled out, while a number of senior players who missed the friendlies against Turkey, France and United States return.
There is a first senior call-up for goalkeeper Sean McDermott, who plays for Kristiansund BK in Norway’s Eliteseruen. The 25-year-old qualifies through his Donegal-born father and has represented Ireland at Under-17, U-19 and U-21 level.
Preston North End forward Callum Robinson has received international clearance after obtaining an Irish passport through his Monaghan-born grandmother. He featured for an Ireland XI in the Scott Brown Testimonial in May.
The Ireland squad will report into camp on Sunday, September 2nd before travelling to Cardiff on Tuesday, September 4th for the game against Wales. The squad will then travel on to Poland ahead of the game on Tuesday, September 11th.
An updated squad will be announced on Monday, September 3rd ahead of training at the FAI National Training Centre.
Republic of Ireland Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers: Colin Doyle (Hearts), Sean McDermott (Kristiansund BK), Kieran O'Hara (Macclesfield Town*), Darren Randolph (Middlesbrough)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie (Fulham), Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Richard Keogh (Derby County), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Kevin Long, Stephen Ward (Burnley), John Egan, Enda Stevens (Sheffield United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers), Greg Cunningham (Cardiff City)
Midfielders: Alan Judge (Brentford), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Shaun Williams (Millwall), David Meyler (Reading), Harry Arter (Cardiff City*), Daryl Horgan (Hibernian), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), James McClean (Stoke City)
Forwards: Jonathan Walters (Burnley), Shane Long (Southampton), Graham Burke, Callum Robinson (Preston North End), Aiden O'Brien (Millwall)
