July 6th 2024.
Unfortunately for Jack Grealish, he will not be taking part in the highly anticipated Euro 2024 tournament in Germany this summer. Along with a few other notable players such as Harry Maguire, Jarrad Branthwaite, and James Maddison, Grealish was not included in the final 26-man squad selected by manager Gareth Southgate earlier this month.
Initially, Grealish was part of the 33-man provisional squad and even made an assist during a warm-up game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, despite his efforts, the talented winger did not make the final cut for the flight to Germany where the Three Lions will face Switzerland in the quarter-finals today. This begs the question, why was Grealish not chosen to represent England at Euro 2024?
Having played a key role in Manchester City's Treble campaign during the 2022-23 season, Grealish's performance seemed to have dipped in the following season as his team defended their crown under the guidance of manager Pep Guardiola. This dip in form, along with the emergence of other attacking options such as Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Cole Palmer, and Eze Eberechi, saw Grealish being pushed down the pecking order in the England squad.
In short, Grealish's lackluster performance this season did not warrant a spot in the final squad. "All the players took the decisions respectfully and all the players believe they should be in, that's why they're all top players with that mindset," Southgate explained. "We have some players who have performed extremely well this season and others who have had stronger seasons."
The tough decision to leave Grealish out was not taken lightly by the coaching staff, as they recognized the midfielder's potential to bring something different to the team. "They were tough calls, but we back our decisions and recognize that we could have gone a different route. It was a sad moment to have to deliver that news to them," Southgate added.
Grealish himself has not yet publicly addressed his omission from the squad, but his City teammate Kyle Walker spoke on the matter, stating that it was not a surprise given the level of competition within the team. "Was I shocked when Jack was left out? Shocked because I know what Jack can do. Was I shocked because of the players that he [Southgate] has brought in? No, because I think they're all of great quality and have had fantastic seasons," Walker said in an interview with ITV Sport.
Walker also touched on the fact that Grealish himself has admitted to not having the best season, which may have played a factor in his exclusion. "I think Jack would be the first one to say he could have had a better season. I think he's come out publicly and said he could have had a better season. So what does a manager base it on? Form or people that he knows have had good tournaments or a good season the season before? You're here on merit. And I believe it should always be like that. You're in this team because you've played well for your club, which then puts you into the England fold."
In the end, it was a difficult decision for the coaching staff to make, but they stand by their choices and have faith in the selected players to represent England at Euro 2024. As for Grealish, his absence will surely be felt, but he will continue to work hard and strive for a place in the national team in the future.
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