An ex-Liverpool star turned down the opportunity to play for England after disclosing his love for another country
Jason McAteer and Michael Owen legends of Liverpool during a training session at The Kirkby Academy
A former Liverpool star opted to represent the Republic of Ireland over England(Image: Getty/2019 Liverpool FC)
View 3 Images
Former Liverpool ace Jason McAteer previously disclosed that he rejected a chance to play for England due to his aspiration to represent the Republic of Ireland. The ex-midfielder was born and bred in Birkenhead but accumulated 52 caps for Ireland, including representing the nation at two World Cups.
However, there was a moment during his tenure at Bolton Wanderers when his international career could have veered towards the Three Lions - a decision he elaborated on during an appearance on the Under The Cosh Podcast.
McAteer recalled a discussion with former Bolton manager Bruce Rioch about potentially donning England colours before dismissing it in favour of Ireland. McAteer stated: "So I get called into the gaffer's office after training one morning and Jimmy Armfield's in there.
FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page
"He was scouting for England. So he's in there and I'm thinking, 'What's going on here?' The gaffer, Bruce Rioch, says to me, 'Jimmy Armfield wants you to play for England.' When I was in the pub working in 1990, the Italia World Cup finals was on.
"I'm a big Liverpool fan, you had Ronnie Whelan, Ray Houghton, Steve Staunton and John Aldridge playing for Ireland. I'm working in the pub watching all these games, and of course Liverpool's got a big Irish connection, so when the Ireland games were on, and they were doing really well with Romania and all that, the games were massive and the pub was full.
Jason McAteer on a podcast
Jason McAteer played 52 times for Ireland(Image: UnderTheCosh/Twitter)
View 3 Images
"I was thinking, 'This team is brilliant, they were having a great time, good footballers as well.' So I'd become a big Ireland fan, [I] wasn't interested in England. I was never really patriotic, being from the north of England... Flip forward to my career and Jimmy Armfield says we'd like you to represent England, there's a B international and we'd like you and Alan Stubbs to play.
"So he leaves and I said to Bruce Rioch, 'I don't want to play for England, I want to play for Ireland.' So he's like, 'Why?' I went, 'They done really well in the World Cup, they've got loads of Liverpool players playing for them and I'm not really a***d about England.'"
McAteer then began investigating whether he possessed Irish heritage. He continued: "I didn't really get it. So he (Rioch) then said to me, 'Is there anyone in your family who's Irish?' I said, 'I'll have to go home and ask my mum and dad.'
Ireland team in 2001
McAteer's love of Ireland far surpassed any patriotism for England(Image: Getty Images)
View 3 Images
"So I went home and I said to my mum, 'England want me to play for them.' She said, 'That's nice.' I asked my dad if we had any Irish in the family. His grandad, apparently, was born in County Down. No one really knew. They moved to England, the story goes."
Possessing only an English passport at the time, McAteer required an Irish one to represent the nation. Efforts to obtain his passport from the Football Association of Ireland (FIA) descended into a scenario where he found himself having to select a random Irishman as his grandfather to secure the travel document.
McAteer went on: "The girl from the FAI rings me one morning and goes, 'Listen, we are trying to sort the passport out for you. We've come across three McAteers from County Down and we can't be bothered looking any further, do you just want to pick one as your grandad?'
"Alright, what are my options? You've got him and him and him. I went, 'Whatever you think.' So some random fella, like Sean or Paddy McAteer from County Down was picked. The next game I go to, I had to go to court.
"There were four people in the courtroom. 'I pledge my allegiance to Ireland...' and that was it. I went from the court back to the hotel, I go in and my passport was on the bed. It was done. I was in."
Buy Blood Red, our monthly Liverpool FC print publication for just £3.50 by clicking here