You want to know if the title is literal? Yes, we are literally brothers in Education, we were fathered by same education– British Education.🤷♀️
So we have thesame roots in that regard, thus brothers.(QED)🙂
It's exactly 3 days ago today that that transfer above happened in 2021. The move was generally greeted with excitement by all and sundry. It was a breakthrough for the lad, getting employed in the best EPL team at the moment, Manchester City. Grealish was hailed for such a move.
I however had some secret reservations. I saw a leader in him as he began to captain Aston Villa at a relatively young age of 23 and how he was like a genius doing things as if he was older than his age.
Grealish was an England regular(at the very least a squad player) as captain of Villa, how he would carry the team(Villa) on his shoulders when the team is in trouble.
Folks can recall the 7-2 demolition of reigning EPL champions, Liverpool, in 2020. Grealish scored twice and gave 3 assists. This was Liverpool's heaviest defeat in 57-yrs, plus it was an all-time record Villa created that day, as no reigning champion has ever conceded as much!
Given the reservations I had, I no longer see that day of a transfer to City as such a happy day– I'm thinking in terms of football and for my beloved brother.
Today you would have been the captain of this rampaging Villa side.
I guess what was most important for you at the time of transfer is to enjoy the ambience of a
winning team and to win trophies. Well, I won't fault your drive for trophies, afterall what player won't want victories and trophies? Now indeeed you have won trophies, you are basking in Man City's glory(which is beautiful), but erm you were not picked for the Euros sir. You were not even given a spot on the bench.
For me, it is important to note that if you stayed at Villa–
1》 you would have had the freedom to play your kind of game and
2》 you would have been placed in the highest level of esteem in your homeland.
On number 1 above, I see how wingers like Bailey, Diaby et al enjoy themselves in the wings at Villa. Unao Emery gives them more freedom and time on the ball than Pep Guardiola does. Infact that's why Emery totally wanted Zaha for Arsenal, a player who thrives with allowing him time on the ball.
You chose a Pep that would restrict your talent Grealish! Pep is the tiki-taka master right from time, he is not an Ancelloti who will give maximum ventilation to your natural creativity as a forward, Pep is more regimented(everyone knows that).
On number 2 above, with that aura of awe around you, no English coach dares leave you out of an England squad if you were at Villa. No one. Today your country people don't revere you as much as they did when you were captain of Aston Villa.
Furthermore:
Every season we saw Grealish get better and better at Villa. That version of Grealish, Southgate won't have been able to deny a slot in that last Euro squad. Never!
It's clear that by and large regular starters at club level were prioritised by Mr. Southgate. Grealish didn't exactly fall into this bracket, plus his style had been significantly altered by the Pep system.
I can imagine. The contract Grealish renewed at Villa in 2020 was to elapse in 2025. Just imagine a Grealish in Aston Villa till 2025. By 2025? Look there would have been a world war for Grealish's signature.
Real Madrid will show up even.
Infact by 2025, Grealish may well have been playing through the middle or even a free role for Villa— we had already started seeing the signs by 2021– so that's why giant clubs would have come knocking.
Well, my brother has made his choice,
he has to enjoy(or endure) it. 🤷♂️
Cheers
