Business of Sport

Ewan MacKenna: Ireland's chronic shortage of good footballers has its roots in a deeply dysfunctional system.

Ewan MacKenna.

Last night in Lisbon, another Champions League final passed by without an Irish player on view. That makes it five since John O'Shea lined out in Rome for Manchester United in 2009, while 28 other nationalities have had the honour in the meantime. But while the past is hardly the issue, given we've barely made it to double figures in terms of participants over the years in the biggest of club games, the ...