‘Heartbroken’ Jack Grealish says Euro 2024 snub was the ‘most difficult moment’ of his career and it was ‘difficult’ to watch England

JACK GREALISH admits being kicked out of England’s Euro 2024 squad was the hardest moment of his career.

The Manchester City ace was “absolutely heartbroken” when Gareth Southgate told him he had not been called up for Germany.

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But the £100million man has vowed to use the disappointment as motivation and try to get his career back on track.

Grealish struggled to get games as Pep Guardiola’s men sought a Prem and FA Cup double in the final weeks of last season.

But worse was to come when he was one of the players dropped from the Three Lions’ provisional squad just before the tournament.

He said: “To be honest, it was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to face in terms of football in my career.

“I was absolutely heartbroken and obviously when you’re on holiday every time you turn on the phone or the TV or whatever you just see it, so it’s hard not to see it.

“It was the most difficult time for me as a football player, I had a lot of ups and downs in my career, so it was difficult.

“I watched it, but yes, it’s obviously difficult to watch because personally I was so desperate to be there and it was obviously very difficult.

“But for me now, moving forward, I have to try and use that as motivation for this season.”

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Despite an indifferent season for City, Grealish felt he had done enough to earn a place in the England squad.

He said: “I myself felt I should be in the team.

“I’m sure all the people who weren’t picked for the squad, whether it was me or any other player, would have thought the same.”

The former Aston Villa captain played just 10 minutes in City’s final five games of the season – while Pep Guardiola chose others before him.

And he had to watch from the bench as those vying for places in England took the chance to get into the head of the Three Lions manager.

Every time you turn on your phone or TV or whatever, you just see it, so it’s hard not to see it.

Jack Grealish

He added: “Obviously it was a bit difficult because I had in my mind that I needed to play to get into the England team.

“Many players who were in my position on the wings of the England team had very good seasons at their clubs.

“Even though I wasn’t playing as much, deep down I thought I needed to play to try and be in the England squad permanently.”

Southgate’s legacy in England should be celebrated, not destroyed

By Tom Barclay

Gareth Southgate has claimed that just winning Sunday’s final would earn England the respect of the football world.

Spain proved a last-ditch comeback in Berlin, but the defeat did not change the fact that Southgate’s eight-year transformation has restored respect to the world of English football.

Critics will analyze his cautious tactics, his selection choices and his record in high-pressure games – with some legitimacy.

However, what is quickly forgotten is what a laughing stock our national team became before he took over in 2016.

A chaotic Euro exit to Iceland that summer was followed by Sam Allardyce abandoning just one game into his tenure thanks to his glass of wine with undercover reporters.

Then came Southgate, with his decency, his humility, his discreet eloquence and his vision of a better and different future.

He looked at why England have failed so often in the past, from a lack of preparation in penalty shootouts to players becoming bored during major tournaments.

Southgate took these findings and implemented a culture where players wanted to play for their country again – and this led to consecutive finals for the first time in our history.

Instead of going to war with the media, he opened his doors to them and discovered, with shock, horror, that they were generally supported.

That hasn’t stopped him from being criticized when necessary – we’re not cheerleaders, here – but the vitriol of the past – or today on social media – has largely disappeared.

No coach is perfect and neither is Southgate. We can’t pretend that his teams played like Pep Guardiola’s or Jurgen Klopp’s.

But as time passes, your achievements will likely be revered because the results speak for themselves.

Let’s hope his successor can go one step further and bring football home.

To do this, they must show respect for what Southgate has created and build on it rather than tear it down.

To read more from Tom Barclay Click here.

Now Grealish – one of the few first-team players on City’s US tour – has the chance to get back into Guardiola’s good books.

He said: “I know it’s easy to say but I feel like it’s me personally, the same goes for a lot of people, I feel like I’m better when I play confidently and regularly.

“When I’m in top form, like I was in the second half of the season, where we won the treble.”

Earlier this month, Grealish and his partner Sasha Attwood announced the wonderful news that they were expecting a baby.

Grealish’s model girlfriend posted a series of photos showing off her baby bump on social media.

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