Jack Grealish: How Winning with England Outshines Man City's Treble Triumph

Jack Grealish thinks that the key to surpassing the triumph of winning three titles last season with Manchester City is to contribute to England's victory in Euro 2024. The 28-year-old played a crucial part in City's success, as they clinched the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League under the leadership of Pep Guardiola, dominating all their opponents.

Grealish had a challenging start to the new season due to an injury that kept him out of action for nearly a month with a severe dead leg.

After recovering, he made his return to the City's starting line-up in their victorious 3-1 Champions League match against RB Leipzig last week. As a result, he has now been included in the England squad for the upcoming double-header at Wembley against Australia and Italy.

Grealish acknowledges that surpassing the remarkable 2022/23 season is a challenging endeavor, but he sets his sights on achieving tournament triumphs with England as the next significant milestone.

"It might sound strange, but it's actually quite challenging because when you experience the ecstasy of winning the treble, you wonder what could possibly surpass that," he expressed.

Obviously, achieving success at the international level would certainly be remarkable. However, even within the club realm, one ponders what could surpass such an achievement. Perhaps winning all four championships, including the Carabao Cup, would take the accomplishment to greater heights. Unfortunately, we were eliminated from the Carabao Cup last week.

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Grealish helped Man City win the treble last season

You may be considering an 'Invincibles' season, but we were defeated. Achieving what we accomplished last year would be extraordinary, and accomplishing something on the international stage with this team of players would also be remarkable.

Following my exceptional season with City, which was one of the best of my career, especially in the latter half when I played more frequently and with confidence.

Southgate: Grealish has grown as a player

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Southgate believes Grealish has grown as a player since joining Man City

Grealish believes that Gareth Southgate, the England boss, has one of the most challenging jobs globally, especially considering the immense talent in attacking positions. In response, Southgate praised the remarkable transformation he has witnessed in Grealish since he joined Manchester City from Aston Villa in 2021.

Southgate acknowledged his growth as a player, stating, "He has always possessed immense talent - and I must tread carefully not to offend Villa supporters - but I believe transitioning to a club where he consistently had to secure victories, handle constant pressure, and meet the demands of his coach...you acquire additional attributes and evolve into a well-rounded player. These experiences have now shaped him."

He further emphasized the valuable experiences the player gained with both the national team and his club, highlighting the diverse personalities within the squad. Southgate mentioned individuals such as Jack, James Maddison, and Trent (Alexander-Arnold), who possess unique perspectives and approaches on and off the field. It is this diversity that contributes to the strength of the squad.

Southgate: Experimental England must have right mindset vs Australia

Meanwhile, Southgate wants England's players to be mentally "spot-on" and grab their opportunity to impress as he experiments against old sporting rivals Australia.

England, the runners-up of Euro 2020, have the opportunity to secure their spot in the upcoming edition in Germany. They are set to face holders Italy at Wembley in a Group C match on Tuesday. However, before that game, England will be playing their second friendly since March 2022, following a streak of 16 consecutive competitive matches that concluded with a 3-1 victory over Scotland last month. In the previous match against Scotland, England's coach Gareth Southgate opted not to make too many experimental changes, but still utilized the opportunity to introduce new tactics. Similarly, for the upcoming sold-out encounter against the Socceroos on Friday, Southgate intends to explore different strategies.

"It is one of the renowned sports rivalries, and if Australia suspects any indication that we are not fully committed to the game, we will face difficulties," stated the England manager. "Our mindset must be impeccable. Additionally, there is still some work to be done to secure a spot in the European Championship, but we are just potentially six games away from achieving it.

"We possess talented players and should provide them with the chance to demonstrate their abilities.

Part of our team's bond is ensuring that everyone gets opportunities to play, feel included, and valued within the group. It is crucial for us to strike the right balance in this regard.

The most significant aspect is that we have talented players who should be positioned on the field where they can excel and feel at ease. These positions should correspond to the ones they occupy while playing for their respective clubs. This will facilitate a seamless transition for them.

'Chance for England players to make their mark'

Jarrod Bowen will be hoping to make a dream Wembley debut after the West Ham star returned to the England set-up for the first time since September 2022.

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill may have the opportunity to make his debut, while uncapped Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah and in-form Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins will aim to establish themselves as potential alternatives to captain Harry Kane. Although it remains uncertain who will wear the captain's armband for England on Friday, it seems improbable that Bayern Munich's prolific scorer, Kane, will be at the forefront.

When asked about the upcoming Australia game as an opportunity for players to leave their mark, the England manager responded affirmatively. "Absolutely. Our priority is to ensure that playing for England is a pleasurable experience. We aim to remove any pressure and allow the players to freely showcase their talents. Nevertheless, it's crucial to acknowledge that representing England comes with its share of expectations and the players understand that they must perform at their best to secure future opportunities."

Every player who joins the squad undergoes this experience, and it has always been the case. Therefore, it is unavoidable. Regardless of what I say to a player, they will already be aware of this, so when new players come in, they should view it as an opportunity and seize it. However, they have had to do this at every stage of their career, whether it was their early days at a club as a young player or when they first entered the first team.

They are accustomed to this situation, and all of them are more than capable of performing exceptionally well. Additionally, they will be thrilled to play in front of a packed crowd at Wembley and embrace the chance to showcase their skills there.