Dublin---England captain Wayne Rooney believes in-demand Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish should commit his international future to England -- his country of birth -- over Ireland.
Grealish, 19, has three Irish grandparents and played for the Republic of Ireland at youth level, but he is being courted by England's Football Association following some stand-out displays for Villa in recent weeks.
Rooney himself has Irish heritage, but ahead of England's friendly against Ireland in Dublin on Sunday, he said that he had never entertained thoughts about playing for any other country.
"I'm a firm believer that the country you are born in is who you should play for, but the rules are the rules," he said on Saturday.
"It's down to him (Grealish) to make the decision, and better sooner than later.
"I've never thought about playing for Ireland. I was born in England. I'm English."
Birmingham-born Grealish turned down a call-up from Ireland manager Martin O'Neill for the latest round of international fixtures. England manager Roy Hodgson said he had not selected the teenager for fear of creating controversy.
Rooney revealed that at the age of 16, while he was playing for Everton's youth team, Ireland manager Mick McCarthy sounded him out, using the club's Irish international midfielder Lee Carsley as an intermediary.
"Lee Carsley, when I was at Everton, asked me about it and it never crossed my mind," he said.
"(I have) Irish grandparents, so if they wanted to play for Ireland I'm sure they could have! It was never something I thought about."
AFP
