England manager Gareth Southgate defends Declan Rice over pro-IRA posts
Thursday 21 March 2019 18:11, UK
England manager Gareth Southgate has defended Declan Rice over pro-IRA messages the midfielder posted on social media in 2015.
Rice, who represented Ireland at youth level and then in three appearances, switched allegiance last month before being included in Southgate's squad for England's opening European Qualifiers.
Just a day before Rice could make his England debut against Czech Republic on Friday, messages the West Ham academy product posted on social media resurfaced, leading him to post an apology on his Instagram account.
"He's apologised. It's not representative of what he believes and feels and his views," Southgate said.
"The obvious point is that this is when he was 15 or 16 engaged in a social conversation with friends, where I think any of us at that age in those sorts of situations have probably discussed things, said things, written things that might not look in the way we'd want them several years later.
"So I don't think he can do or say any more than he's said at this point in time. I think people understand."
Rice wrote the original messages on Instagram, including one to a Republic of Ireland U17 team-mate where he added, "Wait 'till we draw England".
The FA had already confirmed that Rice would not face any punishment, but the governing body has written to the 20-year-old to remind him of his responsibilities.
Southgate, who has been credited with helping to reconnected the England football team with the general public since taking over in 2016, is confident fans will be able to forgive Rice.
"Most people will have children of those sorts of ages and people are still maturing at that age and you're in conversations with friends that you can get giddy and you can say things that maybe you don't even know enough about, you don't understand the context," Southgate added.
"So I think our fans and our public will recognise that fact I'm sure."
