Jack Grealish sent text by Ireland legend Shay Given to expect 'volatile' reception at Aviva Stadium on Saturday
Grealish and former Ireland international Declan Rice are set to feature this weekend against Ireland.
Jack Grealish has been warned he is in for a “volatile” reception as he is reunited with former national team Ireland later this week.
The England winger has been named in Lee Carsley’s first Three Lions’ squad for their opening Nations League fixtures this month. England travel to Dublin on Saturday to take on the Republic of Ireland.
The game represents the first meeting of the two rivals since 2020, while they haven’t faced off in Ireland in nearly a decade. Grealish is not the only one returning to his roots since declaring for England. Declan Rice will also appear after defecting to the Three Lions after previously making three appearances for the Republic of Ireland. 40-time Irish international Carsley is also in the opposite dugout having been appointed as England’s interim head coach.
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And his former teammate Shay Given have warned the trio they will get a brutal reception, having already sent a pre-match text to Grealish. Speaking to The Sun, he said: “Lee won’t be expecting anything else other than a volatile reception with his team because it’s our biggest rival. It’s going to be a fiery atmosphere, that’s for sure.
“It’s crazy how the stars have aligned that his first game is Ireland away. I don’t imagine Lee will be doing a lap of honour after the game! He knows what he’s walking into.
“Rice and Grealish are two brilliant players who were both wearing the green of Ireland at one point. I’m sure they’ll be in for a bit of a reception as well. Jack’s back in the squad. I texted him jokingly the other day that I hope he’s ready for a nice reception when he gets back to Dublin and I got a few laughing faces back.”
Carsley takes charge of the Three Lions for the first time in the upcoming trip to Dublin, and will be hoping his audition is enough to see him secure the job on a full-time basis. In the other dugout, Heimir Hallgrimsson takes charge of his first game as Ireland boss.
And Given claims that there is no better way to start for either. He added: “It does add a lot to it. Lee was strongly linked to it. I’m sure most Irish fans would love him to be on our bench at the weekend because they’ve got huge respect for him.
“But that’s not happened. We’ve got a new manager. It’s straight into the melting pot for his first game against your biggest rivals in Dublin, it doesn’t get any bigger than that.”
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