Euro 2020: Jack Grealish has found a perfect role in England’s squad

Let’s be honest. Three years ago, Jack Grealish would have perhaps been more likely to spend his summer on Love Island than with the national squad. 

He has the hair, after all - and there were some that questioned whether he’d wasted his international career coupling up with a country who didn’t fancy him. Good for you, if you predicted years ago that he would be the chosen one that Gareth Southgate would elect 60 minutes into England’s most important home game in 25 years. Most of us never looked at that trollied teen in Tenerife that way. 

So Grealish’s role in the victory against Germany is, therefore, an interesting pin drop. He’s really come a long way. 

As he received instruction, excitement erupted at Wembley simply from the camera panning in his direction. There haven’t been that many footballers who command such giddiness without even stepping onto the field - one wonders if Grealish will be on the front cover of FourFourTwo in 25 years’ time, his current team-mates telling tales of how he didn’t know what an encyclopedia was.

There’s been so much talk about whether he’ll start, what role he has and how England’s No.7 compares to the likes of Sterling, Foden, Saka, Sancho, Mount and Rashford. In his colossal cameo, however, Grealish showed what he offers to this team. He’s the much-needed unpredictability; the maverick in the pack.

Every side needs one. It was Kylian Mbappe for France in Russia, three years ago; Renato Sanches for Portugal in France at Euro 2016. For England, it’s obviously been Gazza; it’s been Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney - Raheem Sterling had the role in 2014. Teams need Maguires, Walkers and Rices for 90 minutes every three days: they only need a Grealish to click into gear once every now and then to be the difference. It's arguably a more difficult task - and arguably more vital. 

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He certainly wouldn’t have got this role in the England squad last year, either, had it not been for that meddling COVID-19. He’s adapted, evolved, refined his game: some managers didn’t quite know what to do with him at one point. When Aston Villa stayed up by a whisker and a hawk-eye malfunction, Grealish was special. 

But he wasn’t world-class: not like now. What a difference a year makes. 

The development of his game has allowed him to become that fiery figure. He doesn’t rush from the centre anymore but drifts from the left, daring full-backs to stamp on his feet or nudge him off balance. The numbers he contributes - key passes, assists, goals and goal contributions - have shot through the roof: but it's about more than that. He’s got more Brummie hearts racing than Tommy Shelby. There’s no one quite like him in England - we know that - but can you think of many footballers like him in the world right now? 

Dean Smith should take credit; Ollie Watkins too, perhaps, for converting more of his key passes than Mbwana Samatta did. Southgate, it seems, has managed him perfectly too, easing him into England games rather than blinding him with the spotlights. 

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But we should also credit Grealish himself: there were times where we wondered where he’d end up, what use he’d ever be to England and whether he’d flounder in the headlights of being a young, gifted, 20-something - like others before him. 

Well, he buckled down and sparkled on the big stage. Aston Villa orbits around his sizeable calves but for England, he's had to be patient. He's had to find his niche. He's got it now: he's the one that England will turn to mix it up, supply a different kind of energy. Southgate has, famously, built his team around sensible types that you'd be more than happy seeing your sister date. They need a wildcard with 90s curtains and verve around his every shoulder feint.

He’s arrived. Grealish has played just short of two hours’ football at Euro 2020: in that time, he’s made two assists. Euro 2020 is the tournament of badly bleached barnets and disastrous own goals - but the Aston Villa man is trying his damnedest to make it his tournament. Whether or not he can guarantee 90 minutes on the field. 

He seemed a bit of a misfit at times in his career - but he’s found his belonging in this side. Whether he starts games or not.

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