The three lions boss, Gareth Southgate says there is room for a maverick in the England team although he insists Jack Grealish is not the new Paul Gascoigne.
Paul Gascoigne was England No.10 who at his all too brief peak was among the best in the world. When asked about the No.10, Gareth Southgate, just like his generation balked.
“I don’t want to be dampening the enthusiasm for Jack”. Said Southgate. “I always answer honestly about people and when you are talking about Gascoigne, there is no a player in English history at that level in my opinion. But I don’t want that to be seen as a criticism to Jack. You just feel Gascoigne is so unique and was such an incredible player. It is a bit like talking about Bobby Moore”.
“Jack has a fabulous ability to receive the ball under pressure, to protect the ball, to dribble past people at a slightly different speed to some of our other players in the way he moves. He draws fouls like the free-kick he won for our second goal against Wales the other day”.
“So, I totally under why. As a dribbler and someone who can take people out of the game in that I way understand that comparison. For me, he does it in a different way to Gascoigne. Gascoigne was a stronger upper body strength. Jack has incredible lower body strength and moves in a different manner. But I totally understand the comparison in terms of being able to beat people”.
“I think there is room for different types of players in any system and in any way of playing”. Added Southgate.
“One of the reasons it’s been so long to call him up is he was playing in the Championship until a couple of seasons ago. And I thought he has a very good spell in the middle of last season. I didn’t think he was quite as strong as at the end of last season”.
This evening’s clash will be a yardstick of where England are. Suppose Grealish gets on, It will perhaps be an indication he may be more important than what Southgate initially thought. No shame in that as Sir Booby would have said the same about Gascoigne.