Jack Grealish was one of the many players not to have headed to international duty as he witnessed England produce a masterful display in their 5-0 hammering of the Republic of Ireland.
Grealish would have been disappointed not to have had a chance to play for the Three Lions, considering he has thrived during Lee Carsley’s stint.
Scoring in back-to-back games for England, Grealish bagged as many goals under Carsley as he did in 36 games during Gareth Southgate’s spell in charge.
In October, Grealish lauded Carsley for trusting him by reinstating him back into the side.
Gareth Southgate took the controversial decision of opting for the likes of Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon over the 29-year-old at Euro 2024; a call that divided opinion at the time.
Grealish hinted at wishing to disprove Southgate by bouncing back on the pitch this season.
Jack Grealish aims blatant dig at Gareth Southgate in Lee Carsley praise
The Manchester City winger was handed his England debut by Gareth Southgate as a late substitute during a 0-0 draw against Denmark in 2020.
At the time, the three-time Premier League winner was still an Aston Villa player and his stock was at an all-time high.
As Lee Carsley’s spell as interim boss of the England national team came to an end after his side’s dominant win against Ireland, Grealish lauded him on his Instagram story. But in doing so, the treble-winner also sent a dig towards Gareth Southgate by suggesting that during his time at the helm, playing for England was not an enjoyable experience.
“What a guy and manager! Absolute legend and thank you for bringing back the enjoyment in an England shirt.”
Gareth Southgate was often slated for setting his England side up far too cautiously, considering the wealth of attacking talent he had at his disposal.
The Three Lions’ brand of football often came under criticism as well, with even Emmanuel Petit telling talkSPORT admitting he was “bored” watching them in their 1-1 draw against Denmark at the European Championship.
The former Arsenal midfielder claimed “the balance is not right” from a tactical perspective and felt the players “showed fear.”
Grealish’s latest comments could further indicate that perhaps big names in the England dressing room were dissatisfied with Southgate’s methods.
How Harry Kane reacted to Southgate’s Euro 2024 Grealish snub
In July, it was reported that Harry Kane had a discussion with Gareth Southgate after it was confirmed that he had decided to exclude the former Villa skipper from the England squad for Euro 2024.
Kane and Southgate are believed to have gone for a walk, where the Bayern Munich striker felt he would try to understand his former manager’s rationale and proceed to explain his decision to his teammates.
It was also revealed that Grealish was miffed with Southgate and was in no mood to exchange pleasantries with him, claimed to have been “shocked” and “deeply upset.”
Furthermore, several players were baffled by Gareth Southgate’s decision as they felt Grealish’s quality and big-game experience were two key traits that warranted him a berth in the squad.
It is believed that the England camp was an unhappy place after the decision was made.
It seems like Grealish remains upset with Southgate and his dig is suggestive of that being the case.
