Jack Grealish, the Three Lions star, remained on the bench during England’s 4-0 victory against Malta in Euro 2024 qualifying. While his teammates were playing, Grealish was seen smiling and joking with his fellow substitutes. However, after the game, the coaching staff made sure he was put through his paces. Video footage from inside the Ta’Qali National Stadium in Valletta showed Grealish doing interval sprints between the lines of the penalty area. Looking pretty shattered after a few laps, the former Aston Villa ace then headed for the tunnel, but stopped to sign a few autographs for lingering fans before he disappeared into the dressing rooms.
Grealish linked up with the England team last week after a three-day bender as he and his Man City teammates celebrated their treble victory. The 27-year-old’s party road trip took him from Istanbul to Ibiza and back to Manchester for their open-top bus parade in the city. A little over 24 hours after Grealish was spotted necking booze on the bus, he and four other City stars joined the England camp at St George’s Park for a qualifying double header against Malta and North Macedonia.
None of them started, a decision made by Gareth Southgate as he insisted he wanted all his players to be 100 per cent prepared and committed to the games, although Phil Foden did get on the pitch for the second-half. Grealish, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips all remained in the dugout and seemed to be enjoying the extra rest as the camera often shot back to them laughing and joking with each other.
Attention will now go to whether or not Grealish and the other City players will get game time in their next match on Monday at Wembley. Southgate addressed the situation earlier this week and insisted they are all fit to play, but he has yet to make a decision over whether they will actually get game time during this international break.
“We are going to have to take it bit by bit and see how they are,” he said. “I spoke to them when they arrived, firstly to say what an incredible achievement. We said we are heading into the unknown, there is no way of knowing individually how they are going to react and respond to what they’ve been through. Everybody is fit. We have got a lot of considerations, particularly the boys who arrived later and are coming off the back of a massive emotional high with the game at the weekend.
“It’s always complicated, the decisions you have to make. The team has trained really well, the focus has been excellent. I’m always monitoring everything the players do, wherever they are. We are used to dealing with the Champions League scenario. It was more complicated when Tottenham played Liverpool (in 2019) because we were into the Nations League semi-final three days later. We’re used to dealing with it, we know our players inside out. Our focus is on the team now. I’ve said to the players I have to push them. I have to push the players to get the results we need. The responsibility lies with them, they have to drive the team and get the performance we want.”
In conclusion, Jack Grealish remained on the bench during England’s 4-0 victory against Malta in Euro 2024 qualifying. After the game, the coaching staff made sure he was put through his paces. Grealish linked up with the England team last week after a three-day bender as he and his Man City teammates celebrated their treble victory. Southgate addressed the situation earlier this week and insisted they are all fit to play, but he has yet to make a decision over whether they will actually get game time during this international break.