Don’t make Jack the scapegoat..he’s still learning the Pep way

A CHAMPIONS League semifinal in the Bernabeu, an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, a good chance of a Premier League winners’ medal, a likely place in England’s World Cup squad, reports of a seven-figure contract with Gucci, a rumoured £300,000-a-week salary.

Where did it all go wrong for Jack Grealish?

There is, of course, no doubt his first season in Manchester City colours could have gone better but the idea that Grealish has been some sort of disastrous signing is ridiculous.

He is an easy target, not least because of the £100million price tag, but that figure was the release clause set by his former club and his representatives.

And considering the source of City’s wealth, that figure is not overly relevant. It is just a stick with which to beat Grealish. And, boy, does Jack take some stick?

He was trending – and not in a good way – on social media after Pep Guardiola’s team somehow found a way of losing their Champions League semi-final tie against Real Madrid. It was as though his cameo was somehow an emblem for City’s collapse.

Yet Grealish was a Thibaut Courtois stud away (below) from securing a place in the final for his side. And he could not have done much more when Ferland Mendy cleared another effort off the line.

He was not outstanding but Grealish had a pretty decent quarter of an hour or so yet, still, Arsene Wenger blamed him for not stopping the cross for Real’s second goal.

As if leaving two men unmarked in the middle of their own penalty area was not City’s main problem.

Grealish might have done things differently if he had those Bernabeu minutes again.

Rather than give Mendy the opportunity to clear, he might have squared the ball to Phil Foden, for example. But even though he will turn 27 this year, Grealish is still learning.

Don’t forget, this was his first season in European club football.

And he is clearly still learning the Guardiola way.

It is hard to think there is another elite coach out there whose methods and philosophy take as much getting used to.

Grealish and Guardiola are still becoming accustomed to each other and perhaps Pep will try and use him somewhere other than on the left flank.

Having arrived with a bit of a fanfare, Grealish might be disappointed he has not started more matches but one look at the array of attacking options tells you he was never going to be an automatic starter.

Of those attacking options, only Kevin de Bruyne is an automatic selection and that might change after Wednesday night in Madrid.

But perhaps Grealish is fine with that. Perhaps he is one of the new breed of players who accepts he cannot start every match, accepts rotation is king.

Grealish also looks as though he is still physically developing in line with Guardiola’s demands – his performance at Elland Road last Saturday was as robust a one as he has given in a City shirt.

It has not been a stellar first season for Grealish, no doubt, and he could well end it without getting to lift a single trophy. But the idea he has been a total failure is nonsense.

It often takes time for class to tell… and Grealish is class.