Lee Carsley and Harry Kane grew up in England as children of the Irish diaspora. Carsley won 40 caps for the Republic of Ireland, Kane has more goals than any other English player.
It can go either way.
In the Georgian-style Carton House Hotel near Maynooth, just as Bohemians and Shelbourne were kicking off at Dalymount Park, the England manager and captain spoke to the media. Neither man shirked an array of potentially controversial topics about family back in Ireland or the likely reception for Jack Grealish and Declan Rice at the Aviva Stadium.
“We’ve spoken, not only to Jack and Declan, but to the whole squad about the atmosphere they can expect,” said Carsley. “It will be exciting, passionate and loud but no different to what the players are used to in Premier League or high-level games.
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“They will be ready for whatever comes out.”
Harry Kane said: “We know it is going to be a hostile atmosphere. Everyone has a different career path, everyone has decisions along their journey to be the best they can be and that’s what Declan and Jack have done. There might be some stick, that’s part and parcel of football now, but they made decisions that they thought was best for them and their careers. You can never say a bad word for them for doing that.”
On a scorching September evening, more than 100 children in various Premier League shirts came to meet their English heroes, many of whom stalled to sign autographs after the short flight from Birmingham.
Rice, cap down, ear pods in, zipped off the bus. The hotel was out of bounds to non-residents as England briefly reside in a building that for 700 years was the ancestral seat of the Earls of Kildare and Dukes of Leinster.
“If the reception from the kids outside is anything to go by, it will be very positive,” Carsley joked, disarming anyone holding a pointless grudge or pushing ideas that this Nations League game is anything more than a massive sporting occasion.
Carsley, as a player, had plenty of “lowlights” in a green shirt, prompting the question of how he will feel as England manager when “God Saves the King” rings around Lansdowne Road.
“I’ll feel proud. It wasn’t something I’d thought too much until recently. When I saw the draw, I was fully focused on [coaching the England] under-21s and I thought it would be a good game.
“I didn’t realise until two weeks ago that I’d actually be here. I’m not overawed by it. I’ve a lot of confidence in the players. They’ll enjoy the atmosphere, it’s a good to come to back after the disappointment of the Euro finals.”
Carsley is proud to be Irish and English at the same time.
“Highlights [from the Ireland days]? My debut probably, against Romania at Lansdowne with Andy Townsend, Ray Houghton, Tony Cascarino, Niall Quinn. Good memories. We played on what was then a rugby pitch, that was waterlogged, the wind was blowing, playing against a fantastic Romania team.
“The pitch was horrendous but I just remember [Gheorghe] Hagi, it was almost like he had flip flops on, he was so smooth the way he played, that left foot. That was a highlight.”
What will coach Carsley do if Kane scores a last-minute winner down the Havelock Square end – sprint to his player Mourinho-style or calmly enjoy it?’
“Calmly enjoy it.”
As England captain, a press conference on the eve of Kane facing Ireland for the first time comes with the potential for misinterpretation as his father Pat’s family hail from Letterfrack in Connemara.
The Londoner did what he always does under microphones, not a single word out of place, but remind him of his first goal for Tottenham Hotspur in 2011 and his eyes lit up.
“At Shamrock Rovers. Yes, I do [remember it]. You don’t forget that one. Can’t remember the score ... 4-0? First of many Tottenham goals.”
First of 213 goals, with another 66 for England. Not bad for a Kane from Galway.
