What Is Stopping a Nation from Embracing Jack Grealish?

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Jack Grealish cuts an unmistakable figure on the football pitch, socks around his ankles, slicked-back hair, and a languid walk whilst out of possession. It’s a look that isn’t universally popular with everyone and it’s fair to say that there are many who don’t like the cut of the midfielder’s jib. But with the Euros just around the corner, can a nation begin to appreciate what Grealish offers, or will his time as an Aston Villa player overshadow his every move?

A Boo-boy’s Dream

It normally doesn’t take longer than 15 minutes for a crowd to begin booing Jack Grealish’s every touch when Villa plays away from home. The 25-year-old would have already been fouled a few times in the opening quarter of an hour and the opposition fans’ patience would have waned, with those in the ground deeming Grealish to be trying to con the referee. The anger often goes hand in hand with the spectacle not living up to expectation as the game becomes a stop-start affair, the only consistent feature is Grealish sitting on the ground, looking to the referee for protection.

In essence, it’s everything that a partisan home crowd loves to hate. Indeed, Grealish becomes the pantomime villain before some have even made their way from the car park to their seats. Tellingly, the stats say that Grealish was the most fouled player in the Premier League over the course of the 2020/2021 seasons, having been brought down 110 times. The nearest player to that figure is Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha on 88.

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What is even more incredible is that Grealish missed 12 games through injury, leaving one wondering just how many times he would have been fouled had he completed a full season on the pitch. On this evidence, it would appear that the Aston Villa captain is a targeted man but the fact that he is at the top of the leaderboard for this particular stat is just another stick for the opposition’s fans to beat him with.

Is Being Fouled Something to Write Home About?

There is a feeling that when Grealish is concerned, there is perhaps more appetite to go to the ground than ride a challenge. It also doesn’t help that the Aston Villa fans wear the achievement of most fouls won by their captain as a badge of honor given that it only serves to galvanize opposition supporters’ criticism of Grealish. In reality, it’s an accomplishment that holds very little significance amongst the best in the game and the truth is that Villa finished in the bottom half of the 2021 Premier League season table.

The retort from the rest of the footballing world is that one can crow from the rooftops about it all they like, but it isn’t going to ever win a player a Ballon d’Or or make them one of the best Premier League players. But in that argument, there is also an acknowledgment from the wider public that Grealish does have what it takes to join the elite group of the continent’s most productive players.

A Summer of Greatness Ahead?

This is something that England fans are slowly beginning to realize now that Gareth Southgate has made him an integral part of the Three Lions setup by giving him the number seven shirt.

In fact, there would have been those at home, normally demanding that Grealish get up, shouting for a penalty when he went tumbling to the ground in the box during England’s international friendly win against Romania. A penalty was awarded, and Marcus Rashford made no mistake for the spot. In the blink of an eye, the 25-year-old demonstrated to those unconvinced of his potential how effective he can be.

For those England fans devoid of international trophies, it’s becoming all the more apparent that the Villa captain could be crucial to their Hisense UEFA Euro 2020 chances. Admittedly, there’s always a great deal of hype around the England team before an international tournament but the odds suggest that the fanfare leading up to this summer’s event is more than justified. Indeed, at just 11/2 to win the Euros as of the 7th of June, the expectation is that England will enjoy a long cup run and significantly, Grealish’s creativity may well be the difference between also-rans and actual champions.

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Indeed, for all the soft fouls, there is an unquestionable X factor there that England hasn’t had since the days of Paul Gascoigne, one of the all-time Tottenham Hotspur greats. Additionally, for the purists of the beautiful game, Grealish’s control of the ball is breathtaking and it’s almost as if he’s applied glue to his boot before the match given how it never seems to leave his foot despite dancing through defenses.

The midfielder can also call on a blistering burst of pace when he needs it which can see him leave bamboozled defenders in his wake. Notably, this is when the challenges begin to get a bit heavier as opposition players desperately try to save face and avoid humiliation again.

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So, in some ways, you could say Grealish is a victim of his own success. But he has a tendency to weaken that argument by not always playing in the spirit of the game. The undeniable truth, however, is that the Birmingham-born midfielder has shown that he is a once-in-a-generation talent without achieving his full potential yet. If Grealish finally goes through the gears at the Euros, England will be lifting their first trophy in 55 years.

 

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