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England boss Thomas Tuchel has admitted that it was ‘not ideal’ for Jack Grealish to enjoy a night out in Newcastle earlier this month.
Grealish frequented a pub in Gorton, two miles from the Etihad Stadium, before travelling to a social club on Wearside and finishing a night in Newcastle and was seen looking worse for wear.
The 29-year-old, who put hundreds of pounds behind the bars for punters, has not started a Premier League for over two months – an unused substitute in six of eight games he has been available for.
He missed out on a place in Tuchel’s first squad in charge of England, which was named on Friday morning ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia at Wembley.
Instead, the likes of Anthony Gordon, Jarrod Bowen and Marcus Rashford were preferred as wide options for the game.
Tuchel revealed after announcing his squad that he had spoken to the player – who has 39 caps for his country – and that they both agreed he is not in the best shape to be featuring.
Thomas Tuchel (pictured) has admitted it was ‘not ideal’ for Jack Grealish to enjoy a Newcastle night out
The England star had spent the evening at the North Biddick Social Club near Sunderland
Tuchel revealed that both he and the winger had agreed he is not in the best shape to feature
‘I love Jack, Tuchel began. ‘As a headline, I love Jack. I love everything about him. I love his personality, I love his quality.
‘The guy has courage, he can take the heat, he’s not afraid of the Bernabeu whistles when he’s on the ball, it does not affect him and if it affects him only in the best way. So is he a player that should be available and can have an impact in our squad? Yes, 100 per cent.
‘But lately, he simply has no rhythm and he himself and I agree 100 per cent with this. he said, “Listen Thomas, I’m not a start-stop player. It is so hard for me to influence a match from the bench and then be on the bench again, and then two weeks later I start again”.’
Grealish took the opportunity to celebrate City’s FA Cup win over Plymouth at the start of March, spending time at the North Biddick Social Club near Sunderland.
With six days until his club’s next fixture – their Premier League clash defeat by Nottingham Forest last weekend – Grealish had earlier spent the afternoon at the Lord Nelson pub in Gorton, Manchester, posing for photos with locals and fans.
The star was captured leaving the venue looking a touch worse for wear and holding a glass bottle at 10.52pm on Sunday evening, with Grealish keen to walk to his waiting chauffeured car with his head down.
Grealish, dressed in a grey hoodie and ripped jeans, appeared to be accompanied by a friend in a pink sweatshirt as they headed to their car. Tuchel, speaking on the incident, appeared to suggest it was the wrong decision to venture out.
Tuchel is keen for Grealish to be involved in his set-up, but perhaps when he is playing more regularly at club level
He praised Grealish’s character as something that can be ‘the glue’ to his Three Lions side
‘The more he plays the better he gets and then he becomes a proper machine,’ the England boss continued. ‘And he has, of course, a character to him that he can be the glue also in the team.
‘It’s very easy for youngsters and for experienced players to be attached to him and to be close to him.
‘But this comes also with responsibility off the pitch and, of course, it’s not ideal that he’s in the newspapers and out there in public. But it was a sporting choice and in his position Anthony Gordon is just more rhythm, more minutes.’
