Martin! You don’t have to put on the green light! Martin! You don’t have to put on the green light!
Given the saga’s length, comedic qualities, emotional range and ability to distract (how ever briefly) from the dismal happenings on the pitch, the Jack Grealish saga was never going away quietly.
Even after it should have ended.
In the short week since he finally declared for England we have already seen the Aston Villa midfielder turn down the opportunity to train with England, Roy Hodgson warning him he may have to wait for a cap (and the opportunity to chain himself to his home country for once and for all) and his father popping up on Radio Kerry to explain how he ever ended up playing for Ireland in the first place.
But Martin O’Neill may have called Yahtzee on the whole thing yesterday when he objected to suggestions he and the FAI had demeaned themselves in their pursuit of the 20-year-old.
Speaking ahead of Thursday’s Euro 2016 qualifier against World Cup winners Germany on Thursday, O’Neill proved to be on his game in Abbotstown as he rejected these accusations.
“I never prostituted myself in any way, shape or form trying to get Jack Grealish,” said the Derryman.
“I never chased it. I never chased Jack Grealish at all. I think Jack Grealish and his father would readily admit that. In fact, I’ve actually been accused of the other thing – of not chasing it up.
“Jack Grealish had a decision to make. Jack Grealish was born in England, his father was born in England and therefore he made a decision to play in England so that’s it. It’s absolutely and utterly his and his father’s decision so it’s fine because I left it in their hands.”
O’Neill must have known his choice of words would turn heads but he wasn’t going to sell himself short, and once more mentioned the oldest profession.
“I had a very decent meeting with himself and his father and the agent was there as well at the same time. I don’t think it (his agent) was a factor at all.
“You’ll have to make your mind up about this. Whether, as some journalists are saying, you go and prostitute yourself about taking players who were not actually born in the country.
“Naturally, I would love if every single of one of these players were born and bred here but that may not necessarily be the case.”
Has O’Neill, with these wonderful comments finally escorted the Grealish saga out of the Irish football narrative?
