Former Tottenham Hotspur player Jamie O’Hara has lambasted England head coach Gareth Southgate after he made the decision to leave Manchester City ace Jack Grealish out of his Euro 2024 squad.
O’Hara thinks that Southgate ‘never really loved’ the 28-year-old, believing that he has been looking for an excuse to leave him out. After a poor season for the Sky Blues that saw him frequently side-lined with injuries, he has found his excuse.
While O’Hara acknowledges this, he nonetheless feels that Grealish should have made the cut. He thinks the squad needs ‘characters’ – he also believes that he should have gone over Anthony Gordon and Ebere Eze, who he says ‘haven’t won anything’.
What did Jamie O’Hara say about Gareth Southgate’s decision to leave out Manchester City star Jack Grealish?
Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, O’Hara said: “I don’t think Southgate ever really loved Grealish. He never got the call up for England at Aston Villa when he was playing his best football, but Southgate had to put him in when he joined Manchester City and started playing most weeks.
“The problem for Jack is he’s been injured and hasn’t played as much this season. The fact he hasn’t featured much for City alongside his injuries means it’s made it easy for Southgate to leave him out, I don’t think he’s ever admired Jack that much as a player and I reckon he thinks there’s better players than him.
“It’s a tough call, I felt for Jack because I like him. You need characters in the dressing room – especially when you’re away for weeks, you need lads like that. He’s a good laugh and a great player. He’s won trophies and was a big part of winning the treble, so it’s a big call to leave him out for Anthony Gordon and Ebere Eze who haven’t won anything.”
