What next for Grealish after England omission?

It is almost 12 months since Jack Grealish stood astatine nan beforehand of nan Manchester City autobus successful nan pouring rain, arms out, apical off, taking successful nan adulation of nan fans who turned retired to hail their Treble-winning heroes.

Grealish was nan prima of nan show, taking to nan microphone arsenic he stood pinch his team-mates connected shape to admit he hadn’t slept for 24 hours, successful nan spread betwixt conquering Europe successful Istanbul and getting soaked successful beforehand of thousands successful Manchester.

It was entertaining to spot Kalvin Phillips move liquid from a vessel consecutive into his mouth, Gazza-style, arsenic nan statement began.

Grealish had earned this frivolity.

As City closed successful connected a historical Treble, nan 28-year-old, who became nan astir costly subordinate successful English shot history erstwhile City signed him from Aston Villa for £100m successful 2021, had played a cardinal role.

He had started nan important Premier League crippled against Arsenal connected 28 April, played each infinitesimal arsenic City destroyed Real Madrid successful nan Champions League semi-final, 89 retired of 90 minutes successful nan FA Cup last occurrence against Manchester United and finally, nan full lucifer arsenic City hit Inter Milan to assistance nan Champions League for nan first time.

Grealish was astatine nan apical of his game, justifying City's walk connected him and why coaches astatine Manchester United had wanted nan England world themselves.

Grealish was centre shape successful different City parade past month, almost tripping up astatine nan beforehand of nan bus, which could person had disastrous consequences.

Yet somehow, it doesn’t look rather truthful amusing - not now that Grealish has missed retired connected action for nan Euros, to nan use of West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen and young trio Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze.

It is perchance nary astonishment - if City leader Pep Guardiola wasn’t picking Grealish, why should England head Gareth Southgate?

Grealish featured for 10 minutes for City successful May against Wolves, erstwhile he came connected pinch his squad already 4-1 up.

He remained connected nan chair arsenic City hit Tottenham and West Ham to go nan first squad successful England to triumph nan title successful 4 successive seasons and, erstwhile Guardiola needed personification to effort to move nan FA Cup last astir astatine Wembley, nan attacking players he brought connected were Jeremy Doku and Julian Alvarez. Grealish sewage nary further than a warm-up.

“Devastated” was Southgate’s appraisal of really Grealish was erstwhile he gave him nan bad news.

“Gutted” was long-time team-mate and adjacent friend Declan Rice’s view.

Rice sensed thing was incorrect erstwhile he saw Grealish connected nan telephone arsenic he was getting treatment.

“He told maine complete luncheon he had been near out,” nan Arsenal midfielder told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I americium gutted. We are champion friends. He is for illustration a brother, personification you beryllium pinch each day, spell successful nan basking tub pinch and now they are gone.”

Southgate didn’t want to spell into a elaborate appraisal of what has gone incorrect for Grealish this season, stating firmly "it wouldn’t beryllium fair" to talk astir nan bigger picture.

But 2 aspects did radiance through. Firstly, he sensed nan daze his prime would create.

“It is simply a reliable call. You spell complete and complete and complete to effort to beryllium sure,” he said.

“You deliberate and inquire each nan questions. We could person gone a different route. All players judge they should beryllium in, that is why they are apical players. They are large characters and it is sad to person to present nan news.”

But successful nan sadistic world of shot management, Grealish’s monolithic transportation interest and 36 caps counts for nothing.

“Other players had a stronger extremity to nan season,” Southgate added.

The large mobility for Grealish is: what happens now?

With 3 goals and 1 assist, his Premier League output this play was minimal compared to nan corresponding figures of 5 and 7 successful 2022-23.

The fearfulness facet for defenders erstwhile Grealish has nan shot is not location correct now. At his best, Grealish holds his wide position and past attacks opponents by showing them nan ball, offering conscionable capable encouragement to lure them into a tackle.

Then he either ghosts past them aliases goes over. Grealish has nan expertise to beryllium 1 of nan astir vulnerable players successful England.

But that devastating talent has not been seen often capable this year.

He has a statement to 2027 but his deficiency of caller crippled clip has raised suggestions Guardiola mightiness beryllium consenting to waste if nan correct connection comes in.

Chelsea, Tottenham and his aged nine Aston Villa – buoyed by qualification for nan Champions League - person been mentioned but nan costs progressive would beryllium immense and nan financial realities created by nan Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules do not make it an easy woody for purchaser aliases seller.

Questioned astir Grealish aft nan FA Cup final, Guardiola said: “Jack struggled this play but he will beryllium back. I’m beautiful judge of that.”

These are uncertain times astatine Manchester City, pinch Guardiola’s early beyond nan extremity of nan adjacent run uncertain.

But it is adjacent to presume successful nan interim, his seemingly insatiable desire for perfection will stay and only nan highest standards will do.

So, Grealish finds himself astatine a crossroads.

It is similar, successful a way, to different superb erstwhile Aston Villa subordinate who liked a laughter and near to go a cardinal fig successful a Treble-winning team.

Without Dwight Yorke, Manchester United would not person achieved what they did successful 1999. But Yorke didn’t person nan attraction needed to spell again and again astatine nan very highest level.

He featured successful 3 successive title wins but part-way done his 4th season, he was sold and spent nan remainder of his clip successful England astatine Blackburn, Birmingham and Sunderland.

Now he is remembered arsenic overmuch for stories astir what happened disconnected nan section arsenic what he did connected it.

There is thing incorrect pinch that. Not everyone has nan mindset required to triumph 7 aliases 8 times, erstwhile 3 aliases 4 are much than astir tin moreover dream of and location is simply a life to live.

But erstwhile nan devastation and immoderate anger person subsided, Grealish tin spell 1 of 2 ways.

The situation has been laid down by Eze, Gordon and Palmer. The warnings person efficaciously been issued by Guardiola and Southgate.

Only he knows whether he has nan desire and capacity to meet nan challenge.