Graeme Souness believes that Declan Rice was "coerced" into switching his international allegiance from Ireland to England.
"I was trying to put myself in that situation when you go and play for your country you get caught up in it; the national anthem and you're proud to wear that shirt with the badge on it," the Scot said on Virgin Media Sport's Champions League coverage on Wednesday night.
"I would have found it very hard if I'd gone down that road where I played youth football, U23 or U21, and then I played a friendly for my country to walk out on it.
"I don't think me as a person would have done that."
The nature of the statement issued by Rice on Wednesday - announcing the decision - led Souness to think Rice was convinced by advisers that his market value would be higher if he was to play for England rather than Ireland.
I look at that statement, which has been drafted by a lawyer or a PR consultant, and it just oozes that his advisers are telling him 'For you to fully cash in on your career over the next ten or 12 years, you're better being an English international.'
You're more valuable to whoever may be interested in using you in some sort of advertising way. You'll be far more valuable to them if you're wearing an English shirt than an Irish shirt.
I don't see those words being drafted by the player himself, every sentence is covering his backside about not trying to upset anyone.
I think he has been coerced into making that choice; I think [by] someone with a big influence on him.
I'll go back to what I said at the start, once you play for your country [there's an honour in it]. I can remember Flower of Scotland being played and I had a tear in my eye.
You can watch Souness speaking on Virgin Media Sport below.
Graeme Souness on Declan Rice:
"I would've found it very hard to go down a road, play youth football played a friendly, then walk out."
"I think he's been coerced into making that choice."
"I can remember Flower of Scotland playing and having a tear in my eye!"#VMSport pic.twitter.com/5lhq6pKnFe— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) February 13, 2019
Picture credit: Sportsfile
