Jack Grealish is just 22 years of age.
There was a period there, at least for a while back in 2015, when he was really lighting up the Premier League. Between himself, Fabian Delph and Christian Benteke, the trio were producing fireworks that steered Villa away from relegation with victories at Anfield and White Hart Lane when they needed results.
It was a brief feel-good era for the club who ended up gatecrashing the FA Cup final having outplayed Liverpool at Wembley but, under the wild stewardship of Tim Sherwood, it was probably inevitable that it would come crashing to a halt like the Jamaican bobsled absolutely flying uncontrollably down the Calgary track in record time, but only because the breaks were cut. It was breathtaking until it was disastrous.
Delph got picked up by Man City after that. Benteke got a big-money move to Liverpool. Grealish? Well, as a precocious teenager playing the sort of technical football these isles have been crying out for, he was talked about as being good enough for England.
So he made the decision to switch allegiance. He moved to the England underage setup but, as it panned out, he still hasn’t gotten the call to the senior ranks. In that time since 2015, Villa got relegated, Grealish picked up injuries that stunted his club form and, meanwhile, Ireland went and had a memorable tournament in France where the youngster no doubt would’ve been involved had he accepted Martin O’Neill’s call.
It’s nice taking those little victories offered – like Liverpool having if not the last laugh over Coutinho but a good laugh at least – but the ability to gloat about it all was very premature on all our parts.
Firstly, Grealish is English with English parents so, if he thought he had a chance to play for his country, we should accept that just like we tell the north to go stuff it because Derry men are only too thrilled to come to Dublin when they have the opportunity to represent the nation they are actually citizens of.
Secondly, he’s already had tournament success with England under-21s since linking up with his country.
And, finally, the worst of all, he has found serious form again.
So sweet.
Take a bow, @JackGrealish1. 💥https://t.co/9WUu7QkNaZ
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) April 10, 2018
That bullet of a winner against Cardiff on Tuesday night has just been the tip of the iceberg of what Grealish has been doing for Villa this season since coming back from injury.
Steve Bruce has deployed him at central midfield and he has flourished. He’s controlling the tempo of games, he’s the go-to man to release danger and he’s as composed as ever, creating chances, holding onto possession and doing it all whilst being the most fouled man in football.
JACK GREALISH #avfc pic.twitter.com/mVMWhTLYTY
— AMC A-List Member (@Ryanwtking) April 10, 2018
He’s perhaps still, in theory, a bit off an England call-up but only because they’re still wasting their time with Jack bloody Wilshere and waiting for midfielders to break through and dominate at Premier League clubs before deeming them worthy of playing alongside Jordan Henderson.
If Villa get promoted, he’ll be one of the main reasons and he’ll be, once again, one of their most important players in the top flight. And, what’s more, he’ll be talked about in international circles. Again.
