Could this cool kid with attitude hold key to 3 Lions success?
Jack can be England super hero
A YEAR ago Jack Grealish’s international prospects with England looked slim as Gareth Southgate continued to overlook him.
Yet two of the nation’s best talent spotters saw Grealish’s star potential nearly a decade ago.
Bryan Jones (inset) ran Aston Villa’s academy in three spells at the club dating back to the 1970s until retiring in 2014.
John Mcdermott, now the FA’S technical director, was head of academy coaching at Spurs.
Jones can vividly recall a 16-year-old Grealish destroying Spurs in an Under-18s academy match which left both of the experienced football coaches gobsmacked. Jones said: “Jack played years ahead of his age group before he hit the first team.
“He was an outstanding individual. He used to go past people and had this ability.
“I remember him for the Under-18s when he was an Under-16. I was stood next to Tottenham’s then-head of academy John Mcdermott.
“We actually beat Spurs 5-0 on the day and I remember John said, ‘Jesus, where did you find him, the boy on the left, Grealish?’ “I said, ‘He is just a local boy who has been with us since 9-10 years of age.’
“We were standing on the right-hand touchline and Jack was playing wide left because he was two years younger than most kids.
“We played him out wide to protect him a little bit and he ghosted past people. John said to me, ‘How did he do that?’ after he cut in from the byline and whipped it back for goal No.3.
“I said, ‘I have absolutely no idea.’ John had been in the game for years but recognised Jack was streets ahead of everyone. He could do things others couldn’t.”
Often talent like that at a young age fades or is not looked after properly, something Jones was determined not to allow.
He added: “It became a case of channelling him in the right direction, which is where our coaches, Kevin Mcdonald and Tony Mcandrew, played such a
big part. He then got stronger, quicker and worked hard on his muscular development.
“Jack plays with a grin on his face, which I love, and is a character. Paul Gascoigne was the best youth player I have ever seen but Jack was close.”
Despite his prodigious talent, Three Lions boss Southgate was slow to pick the ace, who only won the first of his seven caps last September.
But after putting off-the-field indiscretions behind him, including a fine and ban for crashing his car in lockdown last March, the decision of exireland Under-21s star Grealish to hold out for England has been vindicated.
Jones added: “He did a couple of things I think he regrets but since then he has matured, is now the Villa captain and that responsibility has done him the world of good.
“We had countless meetings with him and his father. They were deliberating over whether to continue playing for the Republic of Ireland.
“It kept coming to crunch time and they’d ask, ‘What do you think we should do?’
“We wondered a couple of years ago whether it was going to turn out the right way but fortunately it has. It gives me great pleasure to see him now.
“It is pride for him and his family who are delightful and have always been very supportive.”