England national coach Gareth Southgate made a U-turn on Jack Grealish for England after ‘ viciously honest’ remark

Gareth Southgate rejected Jack Grealish from his final 26-man England squad for the forthcoming Euros, despite his longstanding admiration for the midfielder.

Gareth Southgate made several significant decisions when selecting his England squad for the Euros, the most notable of which was his unexpected decision to exclude Jack Grealish.

This summer, the £100 million Manchester City sensation, who played in both the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2020, was arguably the most prominent figure to be denied a seat on the plane to Germany. This is despite the fact that Southgate has previously acknowledged being a “huge fan” of Grealish, even when the former Aston Villa man is not at his best, as was the case throughout the 2023/24 season.

However, he acknowledged that the midfielder was frequently “brutally honest” about his performances and that his candor frequently undermined his confidence and form. “In October, I believe that he is occasionally overly critical of himself,” Southgate stated prior to England’s 1-0 victory over Australia.

He then praised Grealish as a “fabulous talent” and observed that players of his caliber, including fellow England reject James Maddison, were advantageous to have in the team because they “perceive the world differently.”

Eight months have passed, and Grealish and Maddison have been abandoned at home. Southgate elucidated his decision to overlook the duo by stating, “We are fortunate to have a variety of options in attacking areas, each of which provides a unique perspective.” Madders and Jack provide us with a unique perspective, which is why they are difficult decisions.

“We have reviewed it repeatedly as a staff in order to ensure that it is fair.” We stand by our decisions; however, we acknowledge that we could have pursued an alternative course of action. Both lads are highly engaging and a pleasure to collaborate with.

Grealish has represented England on 36 occasions; however, he has appeared in only two of the Three Lions’ most recent six fixtures. And as Southgate mentioned, he has a plethora of high-quality attacking options at his disposal, including Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze, and Jarrod Bowen, who ultimately received the nod.

Maddison expressed his irritation on X after learning that he had been excluded from the squad, and he subsequently wished the team the best of luck at the Euros. “Devastated is inadequate,” he composed. “I worked diligently and trained effectively throughout the week; however, I must admit that my performance for Spurs during the second half of the season, following my return from injury, was likely not at the level I had anticipated. This situation presented Gareth with a decision to make.”

“I continued to believe that there would be a place for me in a 26-man squad, as I believe I offer a unique perspective and have been a consistent contributor throughout the entire qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 in Germany. However, the manager has made the decision, and I must honor it.”

“I am certain that I will return.” Wishing the guys the best of success in Germany. They are an extraordinary group of young men who I consider to be some of my closest friends. I sincerely wish that football returns to its homeland. Harry Maguire, Jarrad Branthwaite, Curtis Jones, James Trafford, and Jarell Quansah were also excluded from the final squad.