After a year of making the headlines for his actions off the pitch rather than on it, Jack Grealish insists he has matured and learnt the lessons of a difficult year.
After staring under Tim Sherwood at the end of the 2014-15 season, Grealish made the headlines once again just a few months later. However, this time it wasn’t because of his fantastic performances on the pitch, it was because pictures emerged of him lying on the floor on holiday, apparently drunk.
In an interview with the Telegraph, Grealish spoke about the lessons he has learnt from a difficult year.
We all make mistakes when we’re young but you won’t be seeing me do any of that again.
I look back on it now and as a professional footballer you can’t do that sort of thing. We’re supposed to be role models for kids.
After a bright start to last season, in which he scored his first goal for Villa, he once again made the headlines in November, after pictures emerged of him partying hours after Villa were beaten 4-0 by Everton.
We’d got well beaten and I still went out, looking back it was stupid. We weren’t having a great season and those are the days you’ve got to go home and reflect on it, stick your head under the pillow.
I feel like I’ve matured a lot and grown up since then. It’s all about learning and I’m still only 20. You can see why the fans got frustrated and I’ve got a little bit to make up with them.
Grealish also spoke of his international ambitions, having made his debut for England’s U-21 side at the Toulon tournament in May.
But for my career I think if I fulfil my ability I feel I can play for England in years to come. I was born here, as were my parents, so I felt more English than Irish.
I played for England at the Toulon Tournament and that was a great experience. I didn’t really have a winning feeling last season so to play four of the five games, and score twice, ended it on a good note.
A cap for the under-21s is the next target. There’s a qualifier in September and I want to try and be involved in that.
It’s been two years since Grealish made his Villa debut, it’s now time for him to step up and fulfil the promise he showed during the early stages of his Villa career.
