HE CAN’T DO IT ON HIS JACK Staunton urges Grealish pals to step up
STEVE STAUNTON has warned Aston Villa they cannot rely on Jack Grealish alone to keep them in the Premier League.
The former Villa stalwart believes that his former club’s fate lies in the hands of all of Dean Smith’s players – and not just their talismanic skipper.
Grealish has been at the forefront of the push to safety ahead of a potential move to Manchester United. And while the 24-year-old has been seen as pivotal, ex-republic of Ireland boss Staunton (below) says others need to stand tall.
He said: “There’s no single individual who is going to keep Villa up. Not Jack Grealish, nor John
Mcginn – it’s going to have to be a team effort.
“They will have to run through brick walls, run farther than their opponents – and hope they get a bit of luck along the way.”
Staunton spent the overwhelming majority of his career winning honours – mainly at Liverpool but also at Villa where he won two League Cup medals. He added: “It’s strange but working hard never goes out of fashion – and it’s also strange how those teams that get a bit of luck are those who work the hardest.
“They have nine games to go – it’s effectively one quarter of the season. It might seem like a while – but it’s not that much, really.
“And Villa have to have the mindset that they will take care of their own business and not worry about what anyone else is doing.
“The only result you can influence is your own. If you’re relying on others, then you’re in trouble. It’s nice if others help out – but you need to distance yourself from that mentality.”
Smith insists Grealish is far from the only weapon at his disposal, as he looks to derail Frank Lampard’s Champions League-chasing Chelsea today.
Threat
“There’s others within our squad that score – so you are not just reliant on your No.9,” Smith said. “Jack is our top goalscorer so far, Anwar El Ghazi has a few, Trezeguet carries a threat, Conor Hourihane certainly scores.
“I think we look a team of proper men. We’ve certainly got the goals in us.”