Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish rejected a call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad to face Scotland and England…and experienced a fierce social media backlash as a result…
Ireland manager Martin O’Neill explained that he had spoken to both the player and his father, and that they didn’t want to declare allegiance at this stage.
Grealish is also eligible to play for England.
“He wanted to complete the season at Aston Villa – there are some important games for them coming up – and he wants to make his decision at some time in the future,” clarified O’Neill.
Not that the news went down very well amongst Irish fans, who expressed their (e)ire in a number of different ways:
There was disappointment…
@JackGrealish1 Jack… just make your choice and be done with it. It's a little disrespectful to Ireland how you are handling this.
— Stephen O'Regan (@MrStephenORegan) May 12, 2015
Preemptive resignation…
Gutted that @JackGrealish1 rejected Ireland..
— Dylan Ó Murchú (@DylanMurphyy21) May 12, 2015
Comparisons to vegetables…
@JackGrealish1 you are a cabbage
— Aaron Meade (@MeadeyAthy) May 12, 2015
Recommendations…
@JackGrealish1 traitor fuck, go suck the queen you chav
— Shane (@ShaneCrawford97) May 12, 2015
Hair abuse…
https://twitter.com/truebluejayo/status/598127595922792448
Gentle persuasion….
https://twitter.com/IbeSeeYou/status/598097217430388736
Less gentle persuasion…
@JackGrealish1 make up you're mind ya dirty prick
— Dodge Hurley (@dodgehurley) May 12, 2015
…and fed-up dismissal…
https://twitter.com/MartinPAlan/status/598140293083430913
Imagine if he ends up opting for the Republic of Ireland anyway after all that…
