Speaking to Optus Sport, Michael Bridges has compared Jack Grealish to Paul Gascoigne while naming his current best England XI.
Nobody should need telling just how high a piece of praise this is, as Gascoigne was undoubtedly one of the best players in the world during his heyday.
The former Newcastle midfielder finished fourth in Ballon d’Or voting back in 1990, the same year that he starred in England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals.
The parallels between Grealish and Gascoigne are there for all to see, Gazza was a genius with the ball at his feet and he could beat a man with ease, and that’s exactly what Grealish now does week in, week out.
“Southgate is reluctant to let a Grealish get in there,” Bridges said when discussing how England should line up.
“Grealish, for me, is the most exciting player I’ve seen in that midfield role, when I look back at England players as when Paul Gascoigne was there.
“The things he can do on the ball, Grealish, the way he runs and dribbles with the ball and twists and turns, he’s still got a lot to learn, he potentially can do the things that Gazza can do.
“Raheem Sterling and Sancho have got pace, but Jack Grealish has something special on the ball.”
Bridges would then go on to name Grealish in his ideal England XI for the upcoming matches.
It’s a little early to compare the Villa midfielder with a true England legend, considering that he only has two caps, but we can certainly see the parallels.
If Grealish is given a more senior role in the England squad, we see no reason why he can’t play a similar role to Gascoigne did in the early 1990s, and just as Gazza had Gary Lineker in front of him, the 25-year-old can look towards Harry Kane as his perfect foil.
Southgate has a real opportunity to get the most out of a supremely talented player here, and he can’t afford to drop the ball.
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