Gareth Southgate told his post-match press conference that Aston Villa’s, Jack Grealish, told him that ‘it doesn’t matter’ that he was substituted as a sub during England’s 2-1 win against Denmark.
England reached the final of Euro 2020 last night, with Villa’s playmaker coming on in the second half and then being hauled off in extra time.
Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions ahead in the first half of extra-time and Southgate opted that the Villa man had to be sacrificed for another defender.
Kieran Tripper was the man brought into the fold, as Southgate explained his Grealish call and what the Villa man said to him.
“In their previous matches, they (Denmark) have had very clear strategies when they have been behind,” said Southgate. “They have gone with 4-2-4 and thrown everybody forward.
“We needed to keep pressure on at the front. But to have the numbers to deal with the balls in the box. In the end, Raheem was causing so many problems and was so difficult to play all night that it was going to be Phil or Jack to come off.
“We made that decision. Not an easy one. But Jack has totally understood it.
“In the end, he said to me ‘Gaffa, it doesn’t matter. I am not really bothered, we have got to the final’. But, I must say, he had the impact we were looking for when he came into the game.”
At the end of the day, it was the right call from Southgate because England ended up seeing off the game.
It’s harsh that Grealish is being treated like this and deemed to be this luxury player without the ball.
Grealish has a brilliant work rate without the ball and can be trusted from a defensive standpoint, as he proves in Villa colours.
But that’s not seen in the eyes of Southgate, who clearly won’t be starting him for the final against Italy at the weekend.
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