Jack Grealish (Birmingham, England, 1995) has had the best season of his career. At 27 years old (he turns 28 in September) this course has been consecrated and has been a key piece in the achievement of Manchester City’s treble: Champions League, Premier and FA Cup. The second time that an English club has achieved this after Manchester United in 1999. Grealish, born in a city that was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and with Irish origins, has completed his feat: “This is what you work for all your life”confessed almost tearfully from the grass in Istanbul more than a week ago.
This is what you work for all your life
Since then, everything hastened and the images that had Jack Grealish as the protagonist went viral on all the existing social networks: Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook… media from all over the world opened their newscasts or web pages with the City winger being the ‘boss’ of City’s endless celebration party: Istanbul, Ibiza and, finally, Manchester. 72 hours of madness.
Grealish is still ‘on fire’ 48 hours after winning the Champions League: the endless party!
Comparisons with Gascoigne
“There is a line,” Gareth Southgate, England coach, even suggested at a press conference prior to the match against Malta when asked about it. Grealish, along with his City teammates, answered the call of the ‘Three Lions’. Several days, sure. Then after obtaining permission from the English Football Federation. Meanwhile, in England, easy comparisons appeared and they already called him the Paul Gascoigne of the 21st century.
“While reeling between planes, streetcars, and parades of open-top buses, (Grealish, ed.) evoked memories of some of Gascoigne’s most “legendary” moments”, can be read, for example, in ‘The Guardian’. Southgate himself takes weight away from these arguments. Meanwhile, the same medium, by the way, suggests that in the future there will be summer festivals inspired by the one in Birmingham: “Grealishbury? Jackstock?”, they propose. You never know… one of Grealish’s ‘hidden’ passions is electronic music. He even has a name already ‘reserved’ in case he ever ends up being a DJ: DJ Grealo.
Jack Grealish poses with the Champions League won this season.
‘Jacko’, however, has been the protagonist of not very positive episodes off the field… and related to excesses. Last year, while the investment made by City was being questioned, he was “separated” by Guardiola after some photographs were leaked out partying with Foden after the win against Leeds… and not being in condition for training the following day. He did not play against Newcastle on the following day.
EITHER when he charged against Miguel Almirn after winning the 2021/22 Premier League, while celebrating the title… and then apologized. “What was the secret of City’s dramatic victory against Aston Villa?” they asked. “Riyad (Mahrez, ed.). Get him off the field, as soon as possible. He played like Almirn did yesterday.” These words, by the way, were the impetus for the Paraguayan to start 2022/23 at a very high level.
The importance of the family
“Anyone who knows me knows how familiar I am”Grealish told ‘BT Sports’ after winning the Champions League. “You think of all the people who have helped you along the way and Just seeing my family in the crowd there, in the stands, makes me emotional”he adds.
Anyone who knows me knows how familiar I am
His main support is Hollie Grealish, his sister. He was born in August 2003, about three months ahead of schedule, as Jack himself recounted. He has cerebral palsy. “They said she couldn’t talk, she couldn’t walk and do a lot of things, but here we are… and she can do everything.”says the City player.
Graelish with her sister Hollie.
A few months ago, in November 2022, a young fan named Finlay, just 11 years old, sent a letter to Grealish through the ‘Fan Mail’ of the Premier League. The English international later read the law before the cameras of the ‘BBC’.
“To Jack, my name is Finlay and I’m 11 years old. I’m a huge Manchester City and England fan. I have cerebral palsy and I saw that your sister has cerebral palsy too. I love the way you’re really good to her, really You get it. You always have it there with you and you look very proud, especially when we win the league. I wish there were more people in the world more like you who would treat people with disabilities the same as everyone else.”
But Finlay’s is one more gesture that simply reminds us of the figure that Jack Grealish is and represents. For as long as anyone can remember, with the Englishman breaking into the Premier League with ‘his’ Aston Villa, There are gestures everywhere with the footballer donating shirts for charity auctions or approaching numerous fans before or after his team’s matches.
Grealish, along with Guardiola.
The best version of Grealish
“I played so dead today that I was horrible, although I don’t care… Honestly, winning the treble with this group of players and this coaching staff is very special,” Grealish declared after the Champions League final won against Inter. As he admits, it was possibly his worst game in the best season of his life.
I played the final (of the Champions League, ed, (that I was horrible, although I don’t care…
After paying 117 million euros to Aston Villa in 2021, Guardiola had a hard time finding a place for Grealish in his Manchester City. “He was an anti-Pep player”, they analyzed in the English press. A season later it seemed clear that the ‘boy from Birmingham’ was not adapting to the north and that the transfer had been a failure. They were analyzes too premature: “I feel like I’m in my best shape,” the player himself has confessed this season.
Grealish celebrates the Champions League win with his teammates.
Add five goals and 11 assists that do not reflect everything he brings to the ‘sky blue’ box. “It can make a difference”, admits Guardiola while Grealish confesses that his improvement lies in confidence. And Pep has been a fundamental part of that process. 41 starts and a Grealish who has stopped playing for him and has begun to see the team around him. From absolute star in Aston Villa to one more musician from the guardiolesca orchestra.
Guardiola? I said ‘I just want to thank you, you’ve made this happen for me, you put so much faith in being bought for a lot of money…’
“He’s a genius, isn’t he?” says the ’10’ when asked about the Catalan coach. “I told him ‘I just want to thank you, you’ve made this happen for me, you put so much faith in being bought for a lot of money…’ Even last year, when I was playing craps, he stood there with me and talked to me, and this year has given me that confidence, so I just said ‘thank you'”confesses the one from Birmingham, deeply moved, as he closes the season of his life.
