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Grealish

On breaking through as an 18-year-old and the mistakes he made (December 2016)

"I struggled with the limelight. Some things happened in the past and I put it down to myself – I’ve been a bit young and a bit inexperienced in the game.

"Obviously about a year ago I broke through at Villa and I found it difficult to deal with to be honest. I didn’t really know what it was going to be like. I thought I’d just be the same normal Jack, but it wasn't really the case.

"But I’ve had some good advice from people, I've grown up a lot, and now I just really want to concentrate on my football.

"I've got the perfect manager for me here at the club at the moment, I’ve got the right people around me now, so hopefully I can carry on and do that and just let the football do the talking from now on.

"[Seeing myself in the papers] wasn’t the best for me or my family, but it happens. I was young, I’ve just got to learn from it and that’s what I’m trying to do."


On the holiday photos of him lying apparently drunk on the ground (August 2016)

"We all make mistakes when we’re young but you won’t be seeing me do any of that again.

"I felt like a kid last summer and in February last year, before Tim Sherwood came in, nobody would have known who I was. I didn't realise what the attention would be like, I just thought I’d go on holiday like all young lads do.

"I look back on it now and as a professional footballer you can’t do that sort of thing. We’re supposed to be role models for kids.


On being punished for being out at a nightclub after a defeat to Everton (August 2016)

"We’d got well beaten and I still went out, looking back it was stupid. We weren't having a great season and those are the days you’ve got to go home and reflect on it, stick your head under the pillow.

"I feel like I’ve matured a lot and grown up since then. It’s all about learning and I’m still only 20. You can see why the fans got frustrated and I’ve got a little bit to make up with them.



On his next holiday after the controversial one (August 2016)

"I went away to Dubai and Santorini with my girlfriend [Sasha] and was running on the beaches in the morning.

"I had a personal trainer with me. I was also going to the gym in the evenings at 7pm when she wanted to go out for dinner so I wasn’t too popular!"



On choosing England over the Republic of Ireland (August 2016)

"It was a big decision and wasn’t easy for me. I thought about it for a long time, spoke with my family and my agent, but in the end it came from me.

"I didn’t think it was going to be so big, I didn’t expect so much abuse from Ireland fans. I was still getting it during the Euros!

"But for my career I think if I fulfil my ability I feel I can play for England in years to come. I was born here, as were my parents, so I felt more English than Irish.

"I played for England at the Toulon Tournament and that was a great experience. I didn't really have a winning feeling last season so to play four of the five games, and score twice, ended it on a good note.

"A cap for the under-21s is the next target. There’s a qualifier in September and I want to try and be involved in that."


On dealing with opposition chants and Twitter trolls from his own club's fanbase (January 2017)

"I actually don’t mind a bit of football banter from opposing fans, in fact I quite like getting hammered by supporters of other clubs. But it’s when you get it from your own fans that it’s not nice.

"I've had people on social media saying ‘I wish you would die’ ‘I want to break your legs’ things like that.

"When I realise it’s from a Villa fan, that’s the saddest part because I think to myself ‘what have I ever done to you?’.

"I mean, I can understand if they don’t like me, that’s their opinion. There are always going to be people who are against you or don’t rate you.

"But to say some of the stuff, I can’t understand it. Sometimes it can get you down as a footballer. It’s why I don’t really look at the replies to my posts any more, sometimes it’s better that way."




On his playing style (January 2017)

"I try so, so hard to make a difference. I hate it when I hear people saying that I’m not trying hard enough because I put so much effort in.

"It’s my style I think. I’m a chilled-out player, if that’s the best way to describe me. I don’t go flying into tackles and running around 100mph, that's just not me.

"But to say I’m not trying is completely wrong. I give it everything, every game. And I will always give me all. That’s what it means to me playing for this club."



On always giving 100 per cent and not wanting to leave Aston Villa (February 2017)


"If I was in the Holte End watching me play, what I’d want to see is passion, to show you are fighting for the shirt. You’ve got players who have good technical ability, and the team and the fans expect more of those players. But first of all show that you want to play for the shirt.

I’ve grown up watching everyone on that pitch, hoping that one day that would be me. And it is me now. I just need to enjoy it and make the most of it. A lot of ex-pros have told me that sometimes you take it for granted, the playing, but they are the best days of your life. I’m 21 and I might have 15-16 years, but you never know what’s going to come along, do you?

"I would never want to leave the Villa. It’s a difficult question, but I wouldn't want to leave, no. I live here. I've been brought up here. I’m not planning on leaving any time soon.

"This is the dream for me. Exactly the dream. All I've wanted to do my whole life was to play for Villa, to be classed as a Villa first-team player."




On his career-changing work with strength and conditioning coach and friend Oli Stevenson (January 2018)

"When I was younger, I didn’t really do a lot of work in the gym. But this summer I just felt that it had a vital role to play in my bid to improve. The gaffer actually said to me a few times ‘Jack, I want to see you doing more in the gym’.

"Then Oli came in, who I know really well. He was my captain in the youth teams coming through the ranks here. We always got on. He was a real leader and I always looked up to him. We have always had that respect. When he came back here, I was buzzing for him.

"The work I do with him has really helped. But I don’t see him as a coach - he’s also a mentor and a friend. It just works perfectly between us.

"People have obviously commented on it, saying I look stronger and fitter, and that can only stand me in good stead going forward. I have been doing a lot with him – and he’s always in my ear about doing more.

"When I was coming back from injury, we were in the gym four or five times per week. Now I’m training, it’s more like two or three times per week."
 
On the influence of John Terry on him in the past year (April 2018)

"Me and him are always in the training ground chatting and doing whatever. I do get on so well with him.

"Everyone knows how much of a good player he has been and what he has done in the game. When he first signed I had to pinch myself.

"He is so professional in everything he does that rubs off on us young players. I will be thinking: 'do I need to be doing that' when he is doing it because look where he has got. Things like ice baths, massages and not going home after training straight away.

"He is always the last person there, eating properly and doing everything right."




On the influence of Steve Bruce (April 2018)

"It is probably the best form of my life. The manager has helped me massively.

"Under certain other managers I would have got dropped straight away for having not one of my best games. This manager now has a trust in me that I can produce something.

"In some games I wasn't at my best but he stuck with me.“We have a little battle as he always says something like: 'I want you to get to 12km a game'.“He is always showing me stats of Roberto Firmino and Kevin De Bruyne, where they are. He feels if they can do it, why can't I? But most of the time Emirates Marketing Project and Liverpool have got the ball.

"I want to keep building my goals and assists as well as playing well and winning. It is hard to try and get goals and assists because this is the deepest I have ever played."



On the freak kidney injury last pre-season against Watford that could have killed him (May 2018)

"I took a kick to the kidney and it split in two places. It was pouring with blood,internally, for about five hours.

"It’s the worst pain I’ve ever been in. I went to Heartlands hospital in Birmingham. They found out what it was and I was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth for an operation. Before it happened, the surgeon had to tell me the consequences of what could happen if it didn't work.

"He looked me in the eye and said, ‘Jack, you could die’. My reply was, ‘What?’

"I was genuinely scared. I was expecting to be back inside a week, but it was three or four months.

"I knew Tom Cleverley from our time together at Villa and he couldn’t believe it. I spoke to him the morning after the operation and I said, ‘Mate, do you know where I am and what’s happened?’ He couldn’t have been more apologetic.

"I’m a big believer that everything happens for a reason. I came back from that injury a different person.

"I thought about how everything could be taken away from you in such a short space of time. I worked so hard to come back because I missed football. I wanted to be the best I could be. I was in the gym every day and my energy is so much better. I feel stronger, fitter.

"This time last year the manager would have brought me off. In the last three months, 95 per cent of the time I’ve played 90 minutes."
 
I'm slightly coming round to the idea of this. Basically, can he be any less useful that Nkoudou and Sissy. And if he replaced those two, it would help a lot with our homegrown quota.

The being best buds with Terry thing is a concern though. He's at an impressionable age and you wouldn't really want Terry getting him involved with the EDL crowd
 
I am so not feeling this and I am getting angry. If we buy this guy then we really have to question ourselves. In what world do we believe Grealish is better than Shaqiri!! Or that Grealish will carry Spurs to the next level...
 
Liverpool were linked to Grealish on Sunday, however a club source has dismissed those rumours, according to the Echo.
The newspaper says Liverpool find the speculation ‘baffling’, mainly because they ‘are targeting a higher calibre of player’.
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A) What arrogant d*cks.

B) Lol when their summer signings flop

But I agree with them and they have gone out and done that. They have gotten Shaqiri...
 
I am so not feeling this and I am getting angry. If we buy this guy then we really have to question ourselves. In what world do we believe Grealish is better than Shaqiri!! Or that Grealish will carry Spurs to the next level...

I don't think Shaqiri will carry us to the next level. I'm not sure Grealish will either. I think of the two, Grealish is more likely to have an impactful career with us, and is lower risk than Shaqiri also. I think Grealish is also far more likely to have a more positive financial impact on us that Shaqiri is.
 
I am so not feeling this and I am getting angry. If we buy this guy then we really have to question ourselves. In what world do we believe Grealish is better than Shaqiri!! Or that Grealish will carry Spurs to the next level...

Let's give the guy a chance shall we if we sign him.

Maybe like other youth prospects he has got a lot of potential. Poch must see something there.
 
I don't think Shaqiri will carry us to the next level. I'm not sure Grealish will either. I think of the two, Grealish is more likely to have an impactful career with us, and is lower risk than Shaqiri also. I think Grealish is also far more likely to have a more positive financial impact on us that Shaqiri is.

Would agree with this, and of course the other thing is that Shaqiri will start mouthing off the moment he is not in the first team, i do not see Grealish doing that.
 
IMO the only place at NWHL that Shaquiri would be more effective than Grealish:

footbal-pie.jpg


There's a reason he was £13m....
 
I have no idea how good this kid is, but I love the quotes. He sounds like he has the right attitude for Poch.
 
One is an international and proven Premier League talent with question marks on his perception of himself vs. his teammates at Stoke.. Dont say I blame him much...

I would take Shaqiri any day over Grealish..
 
Would agree with this, and of course the other thing is that Shaqiri will start mouthing off the moment he is not in the first team, i do not see Grealish doing that.

Grealish is also a different type of player to Shaquiri, and can fill two roles. Further he is home-grown, which in CL terms is very important given that we are likely going to pick up one foreign signing at least before the window shuts.
 
Grealish is also a different type of player to Shaquiri, and can fill two roles. Further he is home-grown, which in CL terms is very important given that we are likely going to pick up one foreign signing at least before the window shuts.

Indeed.
 
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