Martin O’Neill reckons had Jack Grealish’s career could have been very different had he opted to represent the Republic of Ireland.
This time last year, the Aston Villa winger chose to play for England, the country of his birth, rather than Ireland, the country he had represented at youth level.
However, since making the decision, Grealish has made more headlines for his off-the-field activities than anything he’s produced on the pitch.
The 21-year-old was suspended by Villa for the club’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle United after being involved in an “all-night party” at a Birmingham hotel following a game the previous week.
Grealish was also photographed looking worse for wear last summer during a holiday in Tenerife and former Villa striker Stan Collymore is so worried about the player wasting his talent, he took the unexpected measure of writing an open letter to him urging him to get his act together.
Stan Collymore has some advice for Jack Grealish https://t.co/xysVlCPwQf
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) September 21, 2016
Ireland manager O’Neill reckons he would have “sorted out” Grealish, and claims the experience of being at Euro 2016 with the Irish squad would’ve been very beneficial to the player’s career.
“I would have been delighted if young Grealish chose us and I think I would have sorted him out because I’ve been able to do that with a few players during my career,” the Ireland manager told The Sunday Independent.
“Having him in France at the Euros would have been like a club. I don’t think he would have been involved in the shenanigans he has been if I was his club manager. He wouldn’t have had the same problems.”
O’Neill also said that Grealish’s father informed him that the winger had opted to play for England. The Ireland manager claims he has long got over missing out on Grealish, and doesn’t expect to see him play for England anytime soon.
“Whether Grealish was coerced into doing something, whether his father wanted him to do something, I don’t know. I am not really that bothered any more.
“Once he had decided to go for England, that was fine, he has made his decision. He has to live with that and I move on. I don’t see him playing for England in the immediate future but he has the talent.”
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