AliousSeamus Coleman is likely to captain Ireland in their highly anticipated match against England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
This will be the first competitive game between the two teams since 1991 and England’s first visit to Dublin since 2015.
Coleman and Robbie Brady are the only current squad members who played in the 2015 friendly.
The match has added significance due to the presence of Declan Rice and Jack Grealish in the England squad, both of whom previously represented Ireland at youth levels.
A hostile reception is expected for Rice and Grealish, who switched allegiances to England.
However, Coleman refrained from commenting on whether they “deserved” such a reception.
During a press conference, Coleman diplomatically addressed the situation, stating, “They chose who they wanted to represent.
Whatever they feel they are, that’s what they chose to be.”
He emphasized his focus on players committed to representing Ireland.
Coleman, who briefly played alongside Rice in 2018, added, “I just want lads that want to represent Ireland, and we’ve got that.”
He downplayed the significance of the reception Rice and Grealish might receive, noting that it’s been several years since their decisions.
The match, kicking off at 5pm on Saturday, is expected to be intense, with Rice, Grealish, and Coleman all likely to start, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the fixture.
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