Grealish affair shines light on failed Irish set-up

We need to transform the underage set-ups of League of Ireland clubs so talented players want to play here

Balls.ie graphic of English and Irish players

It’s finally over. The Jack Grealish affair, which turned farcical long ago, has come to a seemingly inevitable conclusion with the Aston Villa youngster opting for England. Many Ireland fans have been quick to point the finger at Grealish and his perceived betrayal, but the reality of the situation is even more unedifying.

As the football world’s granny rulers-in-chief, Irish fans need to take a serious look inward before they start criticising the ...