The RJW63 Official Jack Grealish Appreciation Thread

[KSV]

It is a wierd photograph to put up with no caption........

I dont see any benefit in him going to Stoke or anything.. besides money and possibly getting into the England squad. Although with nothing but qualifiers next year.. he has time to break into the squad. If he really is a fan.. he should stick it out till January and see how we are placed. 

[jon_c]

6 hours ago, villan_007 said:

He's already getting paid well.

The one thing that seems to be defining the modern footballer. Is that they will always want more money, if it's available.

[terrytini]

9 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

You seem to answer yourself in the second paragraph, so I'm unsure what your counter argument is. 

In the grand scheme of things it wasn't a particularly negative contribution at all. It was irrelevant. 

I think I can't make my counter argument clearer, I'm saying I don't care how long ago it was,it was within a realistic 'shelf life' of us as a Team/Club and where we are now......... whereas you were saying the length of time matters.....? 

But as to whether Jacks contribution to this Club last year was 'not particularly negative' - that in in itself, if its the best that can be said about him, is pretty damning. Although I suspect its possible you have/are maybe just referring to one incident as being 'not particularly relevant' ?  Either way, I disagree.  I would restate, its a lot of little 'storms in teacups' that got us to where we now are, culturally.

I was trying to steer clear of judging him in my original Post, just pointing out that history is very relevant.

But if I were to judge, I would say I saw some off the field stuff we could do without, I didn't see any off the field stuff I liked.  I saw he was absent for long periods (some, apparently, with an injury - although this cleared up pretty much the day Garde was sacked) but I didn't see any playing contribution when he did play.  I saw examples of him looking like (cant say whether true of course) he didn't care, and I didn't see much evidence that he did.  I saw pretty typical signs of a player going nowhere, and didn't see any signs of a player striving to be all he could be.

So I would say I would find it difficult in the extreme to say he made anything approaching a positive contribution, I would find it very easy to say he made zero contribution, and I wouldn't find it hard to say he made a negative contribution.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

I remember being most amused, and yet also sad, at the fuss an awful lot of fans made over Gil, and especially his exclusion by Sherwood - it was as if people were so starved of even the most basic glimmers of ability they lost their heads.  I think it is safe to say I feel the same about Jack.  In his case, the ability looks like it may (may) be there, but I am not so battered as to be happy to accept anyone just because of that.  I certainly am not the least bit interested in whether he is a Villa fan.  I do care about how he conducts himself, and I certainly care about his performances.  On what we have actually seen there are many many players I would be just as happy to have instead.  And I'm not happy about that, in fact the guy annoys me - because for a brief period he genuinely did show that he could be a good, or even very good player for us.

[TheMelvillan]

I actually think the current situation is perfect for Jack. Honestly, even if we had stayed up there was argument for loaning him to a championship club for 6 months to get his confidence up and rediscover his Notts County form. So for Villa to go down and for him to get more game time sets him up brilliantly.

 

No accounting for where his ego will take him though..........

[dont_do_it_doug.]

@terrytini 

I agree that something at the club is wrong, culturally. In such a case does that not diminish the responsibility of the individual? Particularly one so young and clearly naive and lacking in leadership? Other than that I've waffled so much on this already that I'm kinda done. 

One more thing - I can assure you that I am not "losing my head" over Jack due to the absence of quality elsewhere. It's not in my nature to do so and it never has been. I'm judging him solely on what I see in him as an individual.

And yes, he was crap last season. For many reasons. Nothing more to add to that either. 

[Jareth]

Must be staying. I am glad.

Roberto Di Matteo wants Jack Grealish to stay at Aston Villa and insists he has done plenty of research on the mercurial youngster.

Describing the youngster as a talent, it is clear the new boss sees Grealish as one of the players that Villa need to spark their revival.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/roberto-di-matteo-future-jack-11492663?

[Rob182]

RDM talks about having an idea of where he wants to play Jack. Now, I wouldn't have thought he'd say this unless he was planning to change his position from a winger.

 

Could we finally get to see Jack in the number 10 role!?

 

Jack behind a striker, with two pacy wingers either side of him and a clever striker ahead would be bloody exciting (and yet terribly weak defensively!)

[Butterfingers]

11 minutes ago, Rob182 said:

RDM talks about having an idea of where he wants to play Jack. Now, I wouldn't have thought he'd say this unless he was planning to change his position from a winger.

 

Could we finally get to see Jack in the number 10 role!?

 

Jack behind a striker, with two pacy wingers either side of him and a clever striker ahead would be bloody exciting (and yet terribly weak defensively!)

This is a tough one for me and I confess to not having a clue where Jack's best position is.

Looking at the squad currently, I would like Ayew to play as the number 10, just off the striker, leaving only a wide position for Jack.

I currently suspect that over 90% of the squad are trying to engineer moves away from the club and am not holding out much hope of keeping hold of Ayew, this would of course free Jack to throw his hat into the ring for the number 10 position.

[bobzy]

I think Jack will have learned from the press exposure last season and will now be chomping at the bit to actually play football.

If he has the right attitude, it would be pretty cool to see RDM build the side around him, the "local hero". 

[theboyangel]

9 minutes ago, Butterfingers said:

This is a tough one for me and I confess to not having a clue where Jack's best position is.

Going on Jack's past, I'd suggest this

 

Edited June 19, 2016 by theboyangel

[Rds1983]

9 minutes ago, Butterfingers said:

This is a tough one for me and I confess to not having a clue where Jack's best position is.

Looking at the squad currently, I would like Ayew to play as the number 10, just off the striker, leaving only a wide position for Jack.

I currently suspect that over 90% of the squad are trying to engineer moves away from the club and am not holding out much hope of keeping hold of Ayew, this would of course free Jack to throw his hat into the ring for the number 10 position.

With the number and frequency of games in the Championship we need more than one player who can play number 10 and can rotate with Ayew.

If it's not Jack, it has to be Gil or Veretout or someone new.

With the number of positions that need sorting I'd prefer not to spend money on a 10 if we already have capable players. Of those at the club I think Jack is the best option to rotate with Ayew.

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, Jareth said:

Must be staying. I am glad.

Roberto Di Matteo wants Jack Grealish to stay at Aston Villa and insists he has done plenty of research on the mercurial youngster.

Describing the youngster as a talent, it is clear the new boss sees Grealish as one of the players that Villa need to spark their revival.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/roberto-di-matteo-future-jack-11492663?

Well that's it then jack is staying. We've been told that Roberto has spoken to all the players and that all the players he wants to keep have said they will stay ergo jack must be staying........ Or the bit about out all players agreeing to stay was ploppity poop 

[Butterfingers]

1 minute ago, Rds1983 said:

With the number and frequency of games in the Championship we need more than one player who can play number 10 and can rotate with Ayew.

If it's not Jack, it has to be Gil or Veretout or someone new.

With the number of positions that need sorting I'd prefer not to spend money on a 10 if we already have capable players. Of those at the club I think Jack is the best option to rotate with Ayew.

We need to see who we can keep hold of before determining where money is spent.

I'm not sure what impact the extra games will have-Its only the same as a lengthy cup run in the Prem.

[TrentVilla]

On 9 June 2016 at 23:22, useless said:

I don't judge him on last year, he was injured for most of it and coming back from injury and back into a side that was one of the worst teams in Premiershipshipship history.

Was he... or was he just not picked by various different people....?

[Ginko]

24 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Well that's it then jack is staying. We've been told that Roberto has spoken to all the players and that all the players he wants to keep have said they will stay ergo jack must be staying........ Or the bit about out all players agreeing to stay was ploppity poop 

I don't think they were lying when they said that, necessarily, though if we recall a certain Messrs. Downing and Delph also claimed they were staying put and we all know what happened there.

It can all turn on a sixpence in football, I'd like to think Jack would want to stay though. I just hope he's grown up or at least that RDM can form a close relationship with him and get through to him.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Ginko

[dont_do_it_doug.]

15 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

Was he... or was he just not picked by various different people....?

I don't think it's as black and white as that. I think they all used him at some point. 

Sherwood clearly rated him and wanted him to perform, whilst simultaneously using him when clearly unfit and plumping his ego to the point he thought he had made it. Garde kept trying to reintroduce him despite Jack's off the field indiscipline. From there the season was lost, both on and off the pitch. 

Jack has to take the Lions share of responsibility for his horrible season, his attitude was rank at times, but it's no coincidence that he's not alone in massively underperforming and his injury woes are genuine. 

[TrentVilla]

19 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

I don't think it's as black and white as that. I think they all used him at some point. 

Sherwood clearly rated him and wanted him to perform, whilst simultaneously using him when clearly unfit and plumping his ego to the point he thought he had made it. Garde kept trying to reintroduce him despite Jack's off the field indiscipline. From there the season was lost, both on and off the pitch. 

Jack has to take the Lions share of responsibility for his horrible season, his attitude was rank at times, but it's no coincidence that he's not alone in massively underperforming and his injury woes are genuine. 

That is one way of viewing it, another would be that three 'managers' (not sure we had one) kept giving him opportunities last season and he didn't take them.

His conduct and attitude were poor last season, it isn't unreasonable to think they may have had an impact on his fitness. While you can say his injuries were genuine you really have no way of knowing that to be the case, it is quite possible that his prolonged periods of non selection were about more than just injuries as I think is likely the case.

I certainly don't blame Sherwood for Grealish's behaviour or attitude given he is the only manager to date to get anything out of him.

 

 

[markavfc40]

17 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

That is one way of viewing it, another would be that three 'managers' (not sure we had one) kept giving him opportunities last season and he didn't take them.

In that regard did any player take the opportunity they were given last season. To a man they were all pretty much shite.

Grealish started 9 league games last season and without doing the research I'd be confident in saying almost certainly most of those would have come under Sherwood.

I think it was a combination of a number of things last season as to why he hardly played post Sherwood. He quickly got on the wrong side of Garde with his off field antics after the Everton game which meant he was not considered for selection for a while and then I believe that injuries and lack of match fitness hampered him.

I don't think we should be looking back with Grealish though. The lad has been a prat no doubt about that but his development in the first team hasn't been helped by having so many changes in manager over the last 18 months, the dire standard of the squad and the poor attitude of the senior players at the club who should have been a positive influence for the younger lads.

I see this as a fresh start for Grealish now and at just 20 he can still have a good career ahead of him. He needs to knuckle down and concentrate solely on football. He has the talent and under the right manager, as I am hopeful we have, I think he can be a big player for us next season and beyond.

[TrentVilla]

14 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

In that regard did any player take the opportunity they were given last season. To a man they were all pretty much shite.

Grealish started 9 league games last season and without doing the research I'd be confident in saying almost certainly most of those would have come under Sherwood.

I think it was a combination of a number of things last season as to why he hardly played post Sherwood. He quickly got on the wrong side of Garde with his off field antics after the Everton game which meant he was not considered for selection for a while and then I believe that injuries and lack of match fitness hampered him.

I don't think we should be looking back with Grealish though. The lad has been a prat no doubt about that but his development in the first team hasn't been helped by having so many changes in manager over the last 18 months, the dire standard of the squad and the poor attitude of the senior players at the club who should have been a positive influence for the younger lads.

I see this as a fresh start for Grealish now and at just 20 he can still have a good career ahead of him. He needs to knuckle down and concentrate solely on football. He has the talent and under the right manager, as I am hopeful we have, I think he can be a big player for us next season and beyond.

I agree with a fair bit of that but going back to the original point I responded to I think it's fair to judge him on last season, I don't think it can be excused away.

I hope he changed my view of him this season, I'm at least open to the possibility he will but I'm not willing to make excuses for him last season.

 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

1 hour ago, TrentVilla said:

I agree with a fair bit of that but going back to the original point I responded to I think it's fair to judge him on last season, I don't think it can be excused away.

I hope he changed my view of him this season, I'm at least open to the possibility he will but I'm not willing to make excuses for him last season.

 

For what it's worth I wasn't trying to excuse it away. I thought I had made that clear when I said he has to take the lion's share of responsibility for his own dreadful season. 

What I am saying is that on top of that there were circumstantial issues, which combined with his own disciplinary problems added up to a very disappointing season for him. Those shouldn't be ignored when assessing his potential. If you're not willing to take those into account, fair enough. I thought they were worth a mention anyway. 

Edited June 19, 2016 by dont_do_it_doug.