James McClean hits out at Declan Rice again as he accuses the England star of only playing sideways...

McClean Criticizes Rice For Sideways Play Vs Denmark

Blog post released at 7:11 PM on June 20, 2024 and last updated at 8:38 PM on the same day.

James McClean has once again spoken out against Declan Rice, claiming that the midfielder only made short passes to the side or back during England's recent Euro 2024 game against Denmark.

On Wednesday, McClean strongly expressed his disapproval of Rice by calling the Arsenal player 'overrated.'

McCain wasn't happy with Rice's performance in the first half of England's match against Denmark, saying he expects more from the young player.

During his interview on RTE Sport at half time, McClean expressed that Denmark had dominated the midfield in the first half.

I made a statement about Declan Rice that has stirred up some strong reactions, but for a player worth £100million, I expect to see more than just simple passes going backwards or sideways for short distances.

James McClean has once again voiced his disapproval of Declan Rice's performance in the match against Denmark.

Former player for the Republic of Ireland national team, McClean, has criticized Rice in the past, claiming that he is not as good as some people think.

"He tried to make a pass forward in the first half, but it was easily caught by the goalkeeper. I'm looking for him to be more aggressive, to move the ball through the defense, but Denmark dominated the first half and came out on top."

McClean had said before that Rice is a 'very good football player', but he thinks he is not as good as people say.

In McClean's opinion, Rice does not measure up to players like Rodri and Toni Kroos.

McClean expressed his opinion on RTE that Declan Rice is receiving too much praise from the English media and is therefore considered overrated. While acknowledging Rice's skills as a footballer, McClean believes that the hype surrounding him is exaggerated.

Rice and England had a disappointing match when they tied with Denmark at Euro 2024.

In my opinion, he's not considered top-tier. To be world class, you must be a player who can easily make it into any team worldwide. I personally don't believe he meets that criteria. I don't think he could replace Rodri in the Man City lineup. I see Toni Kroos as a world class player because he controls the game. Rodri also controls the game, but I don't think Declan Rice does the same.

A person who quickly understands the game can pass the ball forward with precision. They excel at their skills.

McClean and Rice were teammates on the national team before Rice decided to play for England instead of the Republic of Ireland in 2019.

Rice, who has represented England more than 50 times, moved to Arsenal from West Ham last summer for an initial cost of £100 million.