Tribal Football

Arsenal midfielder Rice: I don't understand England negativity

Paul Vegas
Arsenal midfielder Rice: I don't understand England negativity
Arsenal midfielder Rice: I don't understand England negativityAction Plus
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice says he doesn't let England's critics get to him.

Former England striker Gary Lineker has branded the team as "s***" on his podcast.

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Rice said in response: "I'm not disappointed because I've played football long enough now, I know how they work. That's why I really do not get bothered about it at all.

"Look, they're entitled to their opinion. They're on the TV, they're saying whatever they want.

'I know some of them personally, they're great guys. But, like I said, they've been in our shoes as well. Sometimes  just have that thought of process just before they speak that they have been where I'm sat, where our other players have sat, and not done well at tournaments.

 

"So look, I don't know why we feel like it (England's start to the Euros) is such a negative thing. We're talking like we're going out of the tournament here.

"We are top of the group. We need to stay positive, stay upbeat. Let's have some positivity going into games. Let's give players the best confidence in the world.

"Your players like Phil Foden, (Bukayo) Saka, Jude Bellingham... tell them they're the best players in the world. Make them read that and think: 'I'm going to go out there and perform and give it absolutely everything', rather than reading the negative comments, it sitting on their mind and then thinking that they can't play a certain way.

"That's the way I think about it and I'm sure we have enough of them people as well, which is good."