After much contention and several dropouts, Jack Grealish was belatedly called up to the Three Lions squad by Gareth Southgate.
Gareth Southgate called up Jack Grealish to the England team squad after Marcus Rashford opted out. There are too many questions surrounding him to deserve a call, let alone be a regular starter as he craves.
Paul Merson shared his insight over the matter. The former Aston Villa star believes Grealish takes too much responsibility and tries to do it all on his own. He attributed his ‘school captain’ mentality to his absence from the England team.
In his approximation, Grealish will have to leave Villa Park to become an England regular as he cannot se it happen in his current surroundings.
“Jack Grealish deserves his England chance. But he plays like a school captain and might have to leave Aston Villa to progress his career,” Merson told Daily Star.
“Grealish is always going to divide opinion. He’s a talented footballer. But Gareth Southgate probably watches him and thinks: ‘Does he release the ball enough?’
“At Villa, he’s trying to play like the school captain. To take it all on himself. I don’t think he trusts his team-mates there, and it’s probably hurt his England chances.
“Southgate must look at him and wonder if he’s disciplined enough. If he would fit into a different mold for England. Or try to do too much still.
“At a bigger club, he would have to adapt. He would find a position and fit into a system and trust his team-mates because they would be on his wavelength. I think he’s a number 10. But in a few years’ time, he might become something else.
“England don’t really play with a 10 so you can see why Southgate maybe hasn’t picked him. But he’s clearly good enough. He makes so many chances for Villa.
“I just think the longer he stays there the longer he plays that school captain role where he tries to do too much.
“If he doesn’t move on he could be there for a long time. But he’ll get frustrated trying to finish 17th every season.
“I would play him in at least one of these England games. I’m sure he will get game time. He’s just got to make sure he takes his chance.”
Grealish dragged Aston Villa out of the relegation battle. Dean Smith’s men managed safety on the final day of the 2019/20 Premier League season.
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