I haven’t seen any other player for a decade who can do what Grealish does. Southgate just doesn’t know what to do with him
Football’s ultimate maverick sounds off
FROM time immemorial, England managers have had an inbuilt distrust of players who are immensely talented going forward but are perceived as liabilities when it comes to defending.
In the 1970s, Tony Currie was a victim, in the ’80s it was Glenn Hoddle and then, in the ’90s, Matt Le Tissier suffered as well.
I wouldn’t call any of them mavericks.
But they were all players who perhaps needed indulging a little bit, something Three Lions bosses have rarely been inclined to do.
For most managers, England has always been about the team and equality of effort, and anyone who hasn’t fitted the mould has struggled to break in.
Overlooked
That has to be the only reason Jack Grealish continues to be overlooked now because, frankly, I can’t see other than that why Gareth Southgate keeps omitting him. The perception is that
Grealish is great going forward but, for all his bells and whistles, he isn’t a team player.
I disagree greatly because I’ve seen him more than enough times at Aston Villa to know how hard he works.
And the fact of the matter is that, going forward, he has that something that is the Holy Grail for a great midfielder.
Namely, an ability to go left, right or centre from the halfway line, past two or three people, while drawing four or five players like a moth to a flame before dispatching a pass into space for such as a Raheem Sterling or Harry Kane to run on to.
When he is at his best,
Grealish finds little pockets and areas around the pitch and exploits them incredibly well.
I’ve seen nothing to s uggest t he players who have been keeping him out of late
– Mason Mount and
James Maddison, who isn’t in the
He could be a superstar for England with a very good team built around him. Maybe the only way things will change is if he moves to a top-six club
CRACKER JACK Grealish should be at the centre of England’s plans going forward
squad either this time – can do that any better. In fact, I haven’t seen any other England player for a decade who can do what the Villa captain does.
Omission
I know some people will put Grealish’s omission down to his behaviour during lockdown but that can’t be right, either.
Because Kyle Walker flouted the rules and still made the squad, while Harry Maguire was initially in the group despite his trouble in Mykonos, albeit before a U-turn when he was convicted of several offences.
There’s a perception that Grealish is a bit full of himself but when you hear him speak he’s just a naturally happy-go-lucky kid and he doesn’t have
the self- confidence of, say, a Maddison. And with his Villa links, Southgate will know from such as manager Dean Smith that he has a good personality, that Jack is very good around the dressing room and trains hard as well.
So I don’t know what is keeping him out other than the fact Southgate doesn’t know quite what to do with him.
It was always going to be a problem f or Grealish, which is a shame, because I always felt that once he got in, you’d never get him out. He can be a superstar for England with a very good team
built around him and and perhaps the only way things will change on the international front if is Jack moves to a top-six club, such as Manchester United, with whom he has been linked.
Problem
The fundamental problem for Grealish is that English football hasn’t worked out for more than half a century how to build that last remaining bridge that will take us to major tournament glory.
KALVIN PHILLIPS’S inclusion in the England squad raised a few eyebrows but I’ve no problem with him getting called-up on the back of a season in the Championship. I’ve no problem with someone from the Conference getting called up if their form merits it, either.
The need to find a way to incorporate that player who can do something, from the start or off the bench, that opens teams up in a quarterfinal, semi-final or final.
He has the ability to do it but only if the England manager is willing to take a chance on him.
Saturday? Most of the pundits only make it on to blooper reels or absurd view-of-the-week slots. Just doesn’t make it great. I want more analysis, more insight, less c**k-ups from their replacements, please.