England midfielder Declan Rice has revealed how Arsenal’s ‘chronic’ fixture schedule forced him to play through injury ahead of the World Cup finals.
Rice revealed to Talksport ahead of Tuesday’s game against Ghana that he has been battling nerve pain in his hamstring since December,
The injury flared up against Croatia in England’s opening game but the Arsenal man insisted he will be fit to face Ghana. Rice said: “I’m ready and fit, raring to go. I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time.
“Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that, it was all behind-the-scenes stuff, but it was a smart decision. In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a 70‑minute match.
“But that last 20 is where you really feel your body going for it, and I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good.
“It’s an obscene amount of games, the schedule was crazy, but what can we do about it? You can’t sit and complain. We have to just get on with it for the moments like I had winning that Premier League.
“You’d play as many games as possible to have that feeling again and knowing that there’s a World Cup at the end of it as well.
“You know, you’d put your body on the line to be always in to play, it’s a lot of games, but we’ll get our break at the end.”
Roy Keane has urged NFL superstar Tom Brady to get back to Cork as soon as possible according to a report in the Irish Sun but admitted he won’t be joining him for a game of golf at the Old Head.
The pair shared some onscreen banter during a World Cup edition of The Overlap podcast when Brady revealed he is due to visit Ireland soon for golf at Royal County Down, Portmarnock, and Adare Manor.
Leesider Keane advised: “Tom, you have to get to Cork. Have you heard of the golf course in Kinsale? The Old Head it’s called.”
Brady then disclosed: “The Old Head, of course. I played there a while ago. Loved it.” Keane then confessed: “I’m not into golf of course, but I know the courses and like watching it.”
Brady responded: “How is an Irishman not into golf?”. Roy answered: “I didn’t have the patience for it, Tom.”
Harry Vaughan showed once again why Bohs want to sign him on a permanent deal as he scored after just 27 seconds of Monday night’s 3-0 hammering of Shelbourne at Tolka Park.
Vaughan’s goal sent Bohs on their way to a much needed win with Colm Whelan and Ross Tierney also on target in a game that saw Shels finish with 10 men after a late red card for Sean Boyd.
League leaders Shamrock Rovers were held to a 1-1 draw in Tallaght by Derry City in the night’s other Premier Division game.
Former Irish international Derrick Williams has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33 after a career that saw him play across the divisions in England and in the MLS.
The Irish Independent reports from a statement issued by Reading on behalf of Williams which said: “After much consideration across the off-season, I have decided to call time on my playing career. I feel as though now is the right time to move on and look ahead to what’s next for myself and my family.”
Northern Ireland captain Shea Charles looks set to move back to the Premier League as Leeds United step up their bid to sign the Southampton midfielder.
The Athletic is reporting that Leeds have had an initial £20million bid for Charles turned down but are expected to improve the offer in the coming days.
Leeds are also looking at free-agent deals for Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Brandt and Fulham’s Harry Wilson.
