Almost a year has passed since Jack Grealish stood in the pouring rain at the front of the Manchester City bus, arms out, top down, soaking up the praise from the supporters who came to support their Treble-winning heroes. The highlight of the event was Grealish, who took the mickey alongside his teammates to confess that, between taking on Europe in Istanbul and getting soaked in front of tens of thousands of people in Manchester, he had not slept for a full day. As the party got going, it was funny to watch Kalvin Phillips pour drink directly into his mouth, Gazza-style. This frippery had been earned by Grealish.
The 28-year-old, who cost £100 million to move for City from Aston Villa in 2021, became the most expensive player in English football history as City closed in on a historic Treble. He had a key part to play. He had played every minute of City’s rout of Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, 89 of 90 minutes in the FA Cup final victory over Manchester United, and finally the entire match as City defeated Inter Milan to win the Champions League for the first time. He had started the pivotal Premier League match against Arsenal on April 28.
Grealish was performing at the peak of his abilities, which made sense for City to invest money on him and for Manchester United’s coaches to desire the England international. Last month, Grealish took center stage in another City procession and came dangerously close to tripping in the front of the bus.
However, it doesn’t seem to be as funny anymore—especially after Grealish was left off of the Euro squad, which benefited Jarrod Bowen of West Ham and the young duo of Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon, and Eberechi Eze. Possibly not surprisingly, since England manager Gareth Southgate shouldn’t have chosen Grealish if City manager Pep Guardiola wasn’t? Grealish played for 10 minutes in a City match against Wolves in May, entering the game with a 4-1 lead.
He stayed off the field as City defeated Tottenham and West Ham to become the first team in England to win the championship in four straight years. Guardiola substituted attacking players Julian Alvarez and Jeremy Doku in an attempt to save the FA Cup final at Wembley. Grealish was merely given a warm-up. When he broke the bad news to Grealish, Southgate described him as “devastated.” Declan Rice, a longtime teammate and close friend, said he felt “gutted.” While receiving therapy, Rice noticed Grealish on the phone and felt something wasn’t right.
“He informed me that he had been excluded during lunch,” the midfielder for Arsenal stated to BBC Radio 5 Live. “I feel completely destroyed. Our friendship is the best. He was like a brother—someone you spent time in the hot tub and on daily dates with, and now they were gone.
Southgate was adamant that “it wouldn’t be fair” to discuss the wider picture and declined to provide a thorough analysis of what has gone wrong for Grealish this season. But two things were evident. First of all, he felt the shock his decision would cause. It’s a difficult decision. You strive to be certain over and over again,” he remarked.
“You consider everything and pose every query. We had the option to take a different path. Because every player feels they belong, they are all elite players. It is a painful task to break the news to them, as they are well-known figures. However, in the harsh world of football administration, Grealish’s enormous transfer payment and 36 caps mean absolutely nothing. “There were players who finished the season stronger,” Southgate continued.
For Grealish, the key query is: what comes next? His Premier League output this season, with three goals and one assist, pales in comparison to the comparable figures of five and seven in 2022–2023. At the moment, Grealish’s possession of the ball does not instill fear in the minds of opponents. Grealish is most effective when he maintains his wide stance and then shows the ball to opponents, encouraging them just enough to draw a tackle. Then he either crosses over or floats by them. One of England’s most dangerous players in the making is Grealish.
However, this year has not seen nearly enough of that deadly skill. Although he is under contract until 2027, there have been rumors that Guardiola might consider selling if the proper offer comes in due to his lack of playing time recently. Chelsea, Tottenham, and his former team, Aston Villa, have all been suggested. However, the buyer and seller would not have an easy time closing the deal due to the high costs and the financial realities brought about by the Premier League’s profit and sustainability criteria. After the FA Cup final, when asked about Grealish, Guardiola responded, “Jack struggled this season but he will be back.” I’m very certain about that.
At Manchester City, things are unclear right now, and it’s unclear what Guardiola will do after the current season concludes. However, it is reasonable to expect that in the interim, his almost limitless pursuit of excellence will continue, and nothing less than the best will do. Grealish is so faced with a decision. It’s kind of like that other great ex-Aston Villa player who went on to become a major player in a team that won the Treble and liked to laugh. Manchester United would not have accomplished what they did in 1999 without Dwight Yorke. Yorke lacked the concentration necessary to consistently perform at the highest level, though.
He played a part in three straight championship victories before being sold halfway through his fourth season. He played the remainder of his career in England for Blackburn, Birmingham, and Sunderland. These days, tales of his off-field adventures are what people remember him for just as much as his on-field exploits. That is not at all problematic. While three or four is more than most can ever hope for and there is still life to live, not everyone possesses the mentality needed to win seven or eight times.
However, Grealish has two options when the destruction and any rage have passed. Palmer, Gordon, and Eze have posed the challenge. Guardiola and Southgate have effectively issued the warnings. Whether he has the will and ability to take on the challenge is only known by himself.
