Jack Grealish and Declan Rice ‘fully vindicated’ in England switch, says Noel King

King was the man to hand the pair their Ireland U21 debuts

Declan Rice and Jack Grealish. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Former Ireland U21 manager Noel King believes England’s progress at the European Championships “vindicates” the decision of his former players Jack Grealish and Declan Rice to defect.

King was the man to hand the pair their U21 debuts. Grealish earned the first of his six caps against the Faroe Islands in 2013 at the age of 17, turning his back after his swansong in Germany 13 months later.