SMITH’S GREAL-LY TOUGH START
DEAN SMITH received a congratulatory message from Jack Grealish when he took the Leicester job – but the Manchester City ace is out to wreck his former manager’s survival mission today.
Smith is aiming to pull off a great escape with the second-bottom Foxes having successfully led a Grealishinspired Aston Villa to a final-day Houdini act in 2020.
He has eight games to turn around a Leicester side who have taken just one point from the last 24 and begins with a baptism of fire at Pep Guardiola’s champions, where Grealish is starring.
Smith said: “I’ve had a message from Jack. Funnily enough, I spoke to him when I was driving through South Carolina last week and then he sent a message after I got the job to congratulate me.
“Obviously he doesn’t wish me well this weekend, but he does after that! It’s great to see Jack playing in a top team and doing so well, not just for Manchester City but for the country as well.
“How do you stop Jack? It’s difficult. We can’t just concentrate on him. He’s first gone in there as a British transfer record with a lot of expectation on him.
“He looks more relaxed now, more confident and comfortable in games.”
Smith had been in the US to watch the Masters at Augusta when Leicester came calling.
He has been joined by trusted assistants John Terry, part of that Villa escape, and Craig Shakespeare, assistant during both Leicester’s own survival miracle in 2015 and 5000-1 title win a year later. Smith said: “I’d been told there was some interest but anyone who has been to Augusta will know you’re not allowed your phone on the course, so I didn’t know until I’d got back to the hotel. ‘‘I had to make sure things were right and I also wanted to make sure Craig and John thought it was right. “We all had to agree we could make a difference and keep the team up.
“You can’t help but be excited when you see this fantastic training ground. If you get JT saying ‘wow’ you are doing something right.”
Smith developed Grealish into a Premier League star and will now be working with his close pal and England team-mate James Maddison.
“When you work with top players you have to tap into what makes them tick – how to get the best out of them,” said Smith. “We’ll certainly be doing that with James.”
Maddison admitted he was “very low” after the error which led to Bournemouth’s winner last week and Smith said: “I’ll work with James on his emotional control.
“It’s so important in the position we’re in and the games that we’re going into.
‘‘There’s no doubt in the qualities that he has and he can bring for us.”