Southgate has made a few very controversial decisions during his time as the main gaffer of the England squad – but almost none more so than the list he just recently created for the domestic team to go to the Euro 2024 competition in Germany. A few of the people he decided to leave at home stunned the nation, including Jack Grealish.
He had a provisional 33-man training squad that took place in the friendlies earlier this year, including training sessions internally with the team. From that 33-man squad list, he had the impossible decision of having to cut 7 people to bring the total squad down to just 26 people to get on the plane and fly to Germany for the upcoming Euros in July.
Southgate Makes Tough Call for Euros Squad List, Axes Grealish
Jack Grealish is a talented and energetic Manchester City winger who has had an interesting career thus far in the Premier League. He rose to fame when he was a young lad at Aston Villa, captivating fans and pundits with his playing style of driving at defenders, drawing fouls, scoring goals, and taking people on 1v1 on the dribble.
His tenacious attitude and ability to score goals, whip in crosses, and score on free kicks caught the eye of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City who signed him for a hefty transfer fee. Since his signing, he has had an up-and-down time at City, with limited playing time and some saying that he never should have left Villa.
He has had a few good seasons under Pep, with some spells of starting on the left wing and creating chances. Other times, he is only used as a sub off the bench and doesn’t make as much of an impact. Because of his lack of playing time, or lack of ‘wow’ factor this season, Southgate decided to leave him off of the final England squad list to go to Germany.
Dismay in England Camp Around Grealish Omission
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— England (@England) June 7, 2024
Grealish cut short his holiday after Manchester City won the league so he could join the rest of the England squad in the Darlington training camp, proving his commitment to the team. But even with the added training time, he wasn’t chosen for the final list.
This omission left the player shocked and the camp in dismay that he wouldn’t be with them going to Germany. Players ‘visited Grealish’s room after hearing that he would be going home, with some saying he should have been in the squad.’ Despite the tough call, Grealish is a thorough and thorough professional, handling the decision well and wishing the remainder of the squad the best.
Fans and pundits agreed that the decision was harsh and seemed like the wrong call. Many people noted that Grealish can come on and make a difference, whether it is drawing fouls, providing crosses, giving assists, or scoring goals. However, Southgate might be a manager who wants to be more defensive-minded once they are up by a goal or two in a game.
Other players left out of the final list include Maguire (calf injury), Maddison (talented Tottenham midfielder surprised by his omission), Quansah, Branthwaite (21-=year-=old center back phenom who should have been chosen), and James Trafford.
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About the Author
Emma is an athlete and sports fan who currently plays professional soccer. Growing up, she reached a high level in track and field, distance running, and soccer on both club and university teams.
