Jack Grealish

[tetsujin1979]

Terrible hypocrisy and embarrassing. The British media (Birmingham Mail/Daily Mail/Mirror) have been more than happy to pick up on and report it: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spor...ealish-9244981

If I was him, I'd delete the twitter app off my phone for a while, some of the mentions he's getting are pretty disgusting: https://twitter.com/search?f=realtim...AJackGrealish1

Just in relation to Kenny Cunningham and Brian O'Driscoll joining the debate - neither of them had to choose what country to play for, so I really don't think either of them should comment on it. I'd be more interested in hearing the opinions of players with dual nationalities - Kilbane, Keown, Clark, etc

[Wolfman]

Like who?

[shakermaker1982]

Kilbane has had his say on the BBC. Just seen it pop up on Twitter.


The lad could knock this all on the head by saying he'll be representing Ireland from September. It would take 10 seconds to type on Twitter.

[TrapAPony]

Agree with Shakermaker. It would only take 2 seconds to end this if he wanted to. Tbh I think the Grealish family are enjoying all the headlines Jack is making. The more people keep talking about him the better it will be for Jack in getting a better contract & other deals etc. There is no such thing as bad publicity.

[GypsyBlackCat]

If I was him, I'd delete the twitter app off my phone for a while, some of the mentions he's getting are pretty disgusting: https://twitter.com/search?f=realtim...AJackGrealish1

Just in relation to Kenny Cunningham and Brian O'Driscoll joining the debate - neither of them had to choose what country to play for, so I really don't think either of them should comment on it. I'd be more interested in hearing the opinions of players with dual nationalities - Kilbane, Keown, Clark, etc

I agree.

Cunningham and O'Driscoll are both born and bred Irish, Grealish isn't. He was only 14 when he decide to play for Ireland and maybe now he feels more English than Irish. Cunningham and O'Driscoll only had Ireland to choose from so it's a no brainer for them. At the end of the day it's only a game. No need for a for that vile nonsense.

[Drumcondra 69er]

Terrible hypocrisy and embarrassing. The British media (Birmingham Mail/Daily Mail/Mirror) have been more than happy to pick up on and report it: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spor...ealish-9244981



That sort of crap is a bad as the bitter sectarian bile our northern players have spewed at them.



Not sure what you're getting at exactly. He could still have continued playing for our under-21s this year but played for them in September, although he's stated he hopes to be back in green in September. He could even have played in the senior game against England and still played for their under-21s in September (if that is actually his secret plan, despite his father saying that he would also ahve turned down an England call-up yesterday).

Find it incredibly annoying that most media outlets and a large number of writers seem to think that copying and pasting a load of twitter posts constitutes journalism in this day and age. Definitely becoming a grumpy old *******....

[Eminence Grise]

I teach journalism students - literacy is an optional extra, D69er!

[DannyInvincible]

Dan McDonnell suggesting things might have been positively different had Grealish been called into the US tour squad last summer: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31217957.html

Like I said with Dunphy's comments, it's very easy to say that now in hindsight. Correct me if my memory is wronging me, but was anyone suggesting back last June that he should be even near the senior team? Besides, had a senior interest been made known to him then, perhaps it simply would have triggered an international break earlier.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Something really rubbed me up the wrong way about how we were described as a "distraction". I found it pretty disrespectful and arrogant. I think he could have chose his words more tactfully.

[DannyInvincible]

Let's not twist what was said, please. Kevin Grealish made clear that an England invite would also have "act[ed] as a distraction to [Jack] keeping his [Villa] place". International football generally was the potential distraction; not Ireland specifically. No need to take it personally. He even said he appreciated Martin's interest, but that the agreement already in place obviously stood.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

England's interest is purely hypothetical. Ireland have called him up or attempted to call him up several times now without any degree of success. Let's not pretend that England are getting shafted here, please. I sincerely doubt he would turn down an England call up and risk potentially burning those bridges.

I find the idea that anyone would find International football a "distraction" quite strange. I would find it equally strange if I had no personal investment in it.

Alan Judge accepted a call up even though Brentford are trailing Middlesbrough and need two goals in a Championship Playoff. Harry Arter accepted a call up even though Bournemouth were fighting to secure promotion. Darren O'Dea spoke of his hope of earning another Ireland call up even though he is trying to secure employment.

I am trying to give the benefit of the doubt here, but 6 months ago he was focusing on getting a new contract over the line. 6 months later, he is focusing on securing Villa's Premier League status. In 6 months time, he will be focusing on something else.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31217958.html

Vincent Hogan: Time for Grealish to decide on nationality, not a consolation prize

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31217960.html

Grealish u-turn after Sherwood intervention?

[DannyInvincible]

England's interest is purely hypothetical. Ireland have called him up or attempted to call him up several times now without any degree of success. Let's not pretend that England are getting shafted here, please. I sincerely doubt he would turn down an England call up and risk potentially burning those bridges.

You suspect Kevin Grealish a bull****ter; fair enough. I'm not prepared, nor do I feel anywhere near being in a position, to go as far as accusing Kevin Grealish of that as there's no way of knowing either way for sure. All we presently have to go on is his word. (England have been rejected on multiple occasions in the past too, it should be remembered.)

I find the idea that anyone would find International football a "distraction" quite strange. I would find it equally strange if I had no personal investment in it.

Alan Judge accepted a call up even though Brentford are trailing Middlesbrough and need two goals in a Championship Playoff. Harry Arter accepted a call up even though Bournemouth were fighting to secure promotion. Darren O'Dea spoke of his hope of earning another Ireland call up even though he is trying to secure employment.

Fair play to them, but different circumstances. Why apply their circumstances to Grealish? Grealish's are unique to himself. And, as you know, it's not unprecedented for young players to focus on breaking through at their clubs at the expense of international football for a temporary period of time.

I am trying to give the benefit of the doubt here, but 6 months ago he was focusing on getting a new contract over the line. 6 months later, he is focusing on securing Villa's Premier League status. In 6 months time, he will be focusing on something else.

TOWK in trying-to-give-the-benefit-of-the-doubt shocker? I'm not convinced. You habitually favour siding with extreme scepticism and suspicion.

Grealish said he hopes to be back in September. That's the agreement; that's his word. If he goes back on that in order to focus on something else in September, fair enough, forget about him. But you can do no more than speculate now. I'm not sure how assuming he'll be asking to prolong his break in September is an attempt to give the lad the benefit of the doubt. It's outright distrust surely.

[DannyInvincible]

Just in relation to Kenny Cunningham and Brian O'Driscoll joining the debate - neither of them had to choose what country to play for, so I really don't think either of them should comment on it. I'd be more interested in hearing the opinions of players with dual nationalities - Kilbane, Keown, Clark, etc

Interesting read, this...

'Why I chose to play for Ireland - former internationals explain their decisions': http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31202072.html

Features quotes from Kevin Sheedy, Ray Houghton, Jason McAteer, Steve Heighway, Steve Finnan, Mark Lawrenson, Michael Robinson and David Kelly. David Kelly turned down an invite to play for the England under-21s against Yugoslavia in 1987 in order to join up with Ireland.

[tricky_colour]

Is it fair to suggest that IF England called him up today , that Jack would have given them the same answer that he gave MON?

What you mean "I'm holding out for a better offer"

[tricky_colour]

It really is pointless trying to force the lad hand, people have been saying he could have accepted a call up
if he want to play, likewise if he wanted to play for England he could have said so, fact is he is undecided.

When you are undecided it is sensible not to rush to a decision either way.

He is doing the right thing keeping his options open and trying to put pressure on him will
not help the matter IMO, infact it could well have the opposite of the desired effect.

Nagging people does not tend you to endear them to you.

In fact I will say that again.

Nagging people does not tend you to endear them to you.

Once more for good luck

Nagging people does not tend you to endear them to you.

[gastric]

It really is pointless trying to force the lad hand, people have been saying he could have accepted a call up
if he want to play, likewise if he wanted to play for England he could have said so, fact is he is undecided.

When you are undecided it is sensible not to rush to a decision either way.

He is doing the right thing keeping his options open and trying to put pressure on him will
not help the matter IMO, infact it could well have the opposite of the desired effect.

Nagging people does not tend you to endear them to you.

In fact I will say that again.

Nagging people does not tend you to endear them to you.

Once more for good luck

Nagging people does not tend you to endear them to you.

Might you mean nagging people does not tend to endear you to them? Or do I need to repeat it three times to nag you?

[tricky_colour]

Might you mean nagging people does not tend to endear you to them? Or do I need to repeat it three times to nag you?

I will tell you what I mean in September (or whatever)

[SkStu]

Interesting read, this...

'Why I chose to play for Ireland - former internationals explain their decisions': http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31202072.html

Features quotes from Kevin Sheedy, Ray Houghton, Jason McAteer, Steve Heighway, Steve Finnan, Mark Lawrenson, Michael Robinson and David Kelly. David Kelly turned down an invite to play for the England under-21s against Yugoslavia in 1987 in order to join up with Ireland.

Lovely piece that. All shades of Irishness there and, apart from Heighway, a large degree of pride and satisfaction in their decisions. That said, footie has lost its soul over the last 15-20 years and players and their agents control the game and make calculated, self centred decisions. There's an innocence to a lot of those tales that is admirable but sadly lost to us.

[SkStu]

I find the idea that anyone would find International football a "distraction" quite strange. I would find it equally strange if I had no personal investment in it.

Unless you're a 19 year old who has just broken into a premiership first team, subsequently performed to a generally stellar level and blamelessly brought a whirlwind of media controversy with you, how can you possibly, reasonably comment on the level of distraction that the call up would bring? From an reasonable outsider perspective it's fair to recognize that there's an unprecedented level of pressure on Grealish at the moment. Nailing his colours to either mast would cause various levels of uproar, the type of additional attention that he just doesn't need right now. Give him some grace. Lest we forget, the Irish camp is to blame for this weeks fiasco. They needed to just leave him the fck alone for a few months.