Jack Grealish emerged from Manchester City’s spookier ride than a ghost train at the funfair to admit: "This has been the most difficult year of my life.". On a white-knuckle rollercoaster at Brisbane Road, City were stretched to the limit by brave, blustering Leyton Orient until Grealish’s killer pass set up substitute Kevin De Bruyne’s late winner. And in a searingly honest self-assessment, the £100 million Treble winner spoke earnestly of his struggle, for club and country, over the last 12 months.
Being axed from England’s Euro 2024 squad by Gareth Southgate hit Grealish like a sledgehammer, and it was a remarkable feat of under-achievement that he went through the whole of 2024 without scoring a single goal for City. He is likely to find himself back on the bench against Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off round on Tuesday night and, approaching his 30th birthday, he admits it’s time to release the genie from the lamp again.
Grealish said: "Last year, the whole year itself, it was weird because my little daughter was born, but apart from that it was one of the most difficult years - probably the most difficult year of my life for many reasons, on and off the pitch. "I found it really difficult. But it’s a new year, a sort of fresh start, and hopefully I can kick on from here. I feel like in my last few games that I have played, against Palace, Salford and Orient, I am trying to be involved more in the goals and assists.
"Listen, I want to start playing more often and have that rhythm - the way I was a couple of years ago when I was playing a lot of games in a row. I do find it difficult at times to come in and out of games, not really playing. Hopefully I can keep training well and playing a few more games.”. From an FA Cup booby-trap against League One snipers to a Champions League showpiece worthy of the final itself, Grealish was grateful to make his mark on the changing landscape of English football.
He said: "That’s the beauty of this world that we live in - we are going from Leyton Orient on Saturday to Real Madrid on Tuesday. "A lot of credit has to go to Orient - they were outstanding. The fans were brilliant, their keeper was brilliant and I love playing at grounds like this. I have come up through the ranks and it does bring me back to my childhood.". It would be a criminal waste if Grealish’s ability to season the pot with a chef’s kiss was allowed to wither on the vine, stuck behind Jeremy Doku and Savinho in the pecking order when he would almost walk into any other Premier League side.
City messiah Pep Guardiola spoke warmly of his “fighter” from the streets after Abdukodir Khusanov’s fluke equaliser and De Bruyne’s deft dink overturned Jamie Donley’s 50-yard wonder goal for the O’s. Guardiola said: "I’m really pleased for Jack. He has this sense of being a player of the street. Today most of the players are, for the manager, so academic - you have to do this, you have to do that. But in the stadiums when the people shout, Jack is a fighter.
"But the season still is open and I want much more. This is the level I would like to see from Jack. Clubs bring new players in every season and I don’t have the same squad as when I arrived nine years ago, or when we won the Treble or Quadruple or the 100 points. “No new contract makes a player better. It’s the competition in the locker room and on the pitch that makes the players better. They have to feel that. You have to fight with Savinho - the impact he has had this season is amazing. Jeremy Doku is incredible, a top player as well.
"It’s never against a player from my point of view. It’s OK - accept the challenge, prove you are the best. Today I saw that glimpse: 'I want to rebel, I want to show the manager how wrong he is'. I love that. In the end it’s about performance. Deliver assists, deliver goals.". Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
