MOVIE AND SHAKER
Jack ready to be leading man in Three Lions glory run
HOME ALONE 2 fanatic Jack Grealish admits he is on a mission to write his own Hollywood script for club and country.
And if Grealish’s dreams come true then it promises to be a genuine blockbuster that will make him even more box office than he already is.
A trip to New York after the World Cup with long-time girlfriend Sasha Attwood saw the midfielder visit some of the star attractions that featured in the famous comedy film.
These included Central Park and The Plaza Hotel, where Grealish stayed and helped himself to numerous scoops of ice cream – just like main character Kevin McCallister once did.
Not that it did him any harm – because Grealish has been sensational for Manchester City since
Qatar 2022 to establish himself as one of the best talents in the game.
Now he wants to go on and win the Champions League along with major trophies for England.
Grealish said: “At the moment, I just feel a bit like I did when I was at Aston Villa.
“I feel like one of the main players. It’s the fittest I have been. I’m really confident at the moment.
“You always want to be doing well. You just feel good in yourself.
“We are winning a lot of games, especially at club level, and I’m getting goals and assists and helping the team in important matches.
“The manager is trusting me in these big games. And I do feel I have repaid him, played my part and done well. And I think that is why he is keeping me in the team.”
So how did the Home Alone obsession come about? He said: “I stayed in the (same) hotel. You could get some mad room service, like 16 scoops of ice cream! Like what Kevin got in the film.
“I’ve got an addictive kind of personality. I love that film, man. I’ve watched it so many times.
“We went round Central Park. I never realised how much stuff had been filmed there. “I felt like a right little tourist. I was in the back of the carriage thing and every now and again someone would say, ‘I swear that’s Jack Grealish.’
“I was saying, ‘Mate! Quick! Speed up!’ I loved it. I love Christmas and that. It was like a little bucket list moment.”
What Grealish didn’t love was when Pep Guardiola threw him on against Liverpool in a Carabao Cup game just 24 hours after he had returned to training following his break in the Big Apple.
He said: “I went back into training on the Wednesday and we were playing Liverpool on the Thursday in the Carabao Cup.
“I thought, ‘There’s no chance I’ll be involved’. Then in the f ***** g 70th minute he (Guardiola) tells me, ‘Jack, you’re going on’. I was like: ‘F ***** g hell!’ because I was blowing out of my arse! Luckily we went on to win. I just didn’t think (I’d be involved).”
Grealish has been involved in 45 games already this season but has no fears about burnout and will be hoping to start when England open their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign in Naples against Italy tomorrow night.
He added: “I just love playing football. It’s the best thing you can do.
“It will be a massive game and I’m sure it will be a lively atmosphere at an iconic stadium. I love playing in big stadiums and this is one I have wanted to play in, so I am looking forward to it if I do play.”