'I see myself as English' - Kieran Dewsbury-Hall rules out representing Ireland

Everton and Ireland captain Séamus Coleman had discussed the prospect of the midfielder declaring for the Boys in Green.

THREE LIONS: Everton’s Kieran Dewsbury-Hall has emphatically ruled out pledging his international allegiance to Ireland. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

Everton’s Kieran Dewsbury-Hall has emphatically ruled out pledging his international allegiance to Ireland.

Toffees and Ireland captain Séamus Coleman had discussed the prospect of the midfielder declaring for the Boys in Green but instead he’s intent on pitching for a senior call-up by his homeland England.

Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson has been grappling with a dearth of midfielders, piquing his interest in the player who David Moyes splashed out €34m on to sign from Chelsea for this season. He’s eligible for Ireland through his grandparents.

“It’s better that you speak to him about if he wants or not, but there has not been any kind of approach for him,” said the Icelander.

It appears exploratory enquiries by Coleman were met with resistance. Dewsbury-Hall is to start Sunday’s Premier League clash against Tottenham at their new stadium (4.30pm).

“I told him where my head is at and that is that I see myself as English and the biggest dream of mine would be to play for England,” he said about killing the notion off at the pass.

"It would be unfair of me to keep saying, 'I want to play for the Republic of Ireland', when that's probably not what I want to do.

“As much as I respect Irish people, their fans and the way they, it just wouldn't feel right for me.” He added about his English ambitions:

“I still believe that I can do it if I play well enough. That's where my head is at and Seamus knows that.

"He's the kind of guy who will say, 'Yes, I believe in you and I trust that whatever you want to do you're going to go all in to achieve it'. He was great in terms of that.”