Could Jack Grealish be turning out for England at the 2018 World Cup? The likelihood of it happening has increased, with the Aston Villa midfielder deciding to refuse a place in the Irish squad to face England and Scotland next month.
The composed young midfielder has caught the attention of both Ireland and England this season thanks to his mature performances at the heart of the Villa midfield. Some say that they remind him a bit of Gazza at his best, as Grealish has superb ball control and drives forward very well.
Online betting site Coral have made Grealish 4-6 to play for England’s senior squad and 11-10 to choose Ireland and disappointed boss Martin O’Neill said: “Jack didn’t want to make up his mind at this stage.”
Grealish’s own explaining for turning down Ireland was that he just wanted to concentrate on his Villa performances. It is reported that Grealish won’t make up his mind on which way his international career will go until September, a full year after turning out for Ireland’s U21 against Germany.
Had the youngster agreed to play for Ireland against England at the Aviva Stadium in June, he would still have been able to switch allegiances, because it’s just a friendly. However, if he had faced Scotland in the Euro 2016 qualifiers, then his Irish future would have been confirmed.
