Classy. West Ham owner David Gold has responded to Declan Rice's England declaration by having a cut at Roy Keane. Gold hit the headlines last May, when he said during a radio interview that he hoped the new West Ham boss would turn 'Declan Rice into a strong English defender for the future of the England team'.
Keane was asked about those comments during an Ireland press conference by saying:
It's going to be pretty difficult as he's Irish.
Where else would he want to go? It's pretty straightforward. He is Irish.
Gold has now had the last laugh, Rice making his intentions to continue his international career with England known today. Not one to miss an opportunity, he was quick to point out Keane's mistake last summer.
Not as difficult as you thought Roy 😉 https://t.co/GHsyOEIcz6
— David Gold (@davidgold) February 13, 2019
Of course Keane is no longer involved in the Ireland setup, having departed his assistant manager's role last November. He also had no way of knowing there was any possibility that Rice would reconsider his future in a green jersey, having given every indication that he was ugly committed to the cause up until that point.
The wisdom behind Rice's employers making such a statement in public can be questioned, but those at West Ham have not exactly been shy in expressing their hopes that he would one day play for England.
This was only one example of Gold's comments in the media, and some are of the opinion that the club influenced Rice's decision to change his international allegiances. The potential commercial opportunities for the player himself would likely have been one of his considerations, with an England international having far more earning power than an Irish one.
The fact that West Ham could fetch a far higher transfer fee somewhere down the line no doubt would have crossed their minds also. All we know is that Roy Keane is unlikely to get a job at the London Stadium anytime soon.
