July 14th 2024.
Unfortunately for Jack Grealish, he will not be taking part in the highly anticipated Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. Along with some of his fellow England teammates, the Manchester City star was left out of Gareth Southgate's final 26-man squad last month. This came as a surprise to many, especially since Grealish had initially been a part of the 33-man provisional squad and had even provided an assist in a warm-up game against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
But as the tournament approaches, it is clear that Grealish will not be making the trip to Germany with the Three Lions. Instead, he will be watching from the sidelines as his teammates take on Spain in the final tonight. This begs the question - why was Grealish not selected for the squad?
Despite playing a crucial role in City's Treble campaign in the 2022-23 season, Grealish struggled to maintain the same level of performance in the following season. As a result, players like Phil Foden and Anthony Gordon have moved ahead of him in the England pecking order, with Cole Palmer and Eze Eberechi also emerging as strong attacking options.
In simpler terms, Grealish's performances this season did not meet the standards needed for a spot in the final squad. Southgate himself acknowledged the difficult decision, stating that all the players believed they deserved to be a part of the squad due to their exceptional mindsets and performances.
However, Southgate and his staff ultimately had to make some tough choices, and unfortunately, Grealish did not make the cut. His exclusion from the squad was particularly difficult as he would have provided something different on the field, but ultimately, the team opted for other players who had stronger performances in the past six months.
It goes without saying that this was not an easy decision for Southgate and his staff, and they understand that they could have taken a different route. As for Grealish, he has not yet publicly addressed his omission from the squad, but his City teammate Kyle Walker has spoken about it, stating that while Grealish is an incredibly talented player, the competition within the squad is fierce.
Walker also pointed out that Grealish himself has acknowledged that he could have performed better this season, which may have played a role in his exclusion. Ultimately, the players who were selected for the squad were chosen based on their current form and merits, something that Walker believes should always be the case. After all, representing the national team is a privilege that should be earned through hard work and dedication on the field.
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