Grealish: ‘Sometimes Guardiola brings victory to Man City’

The star has a record transfer fee – 139 million USD – of Man City and England usually follow the classic style. He made an impression with an Alice headband in his hair, number 10 on the back of his shirt.

But first, Grealish was asked about her muscular calves being somewhat inversely proportional to her slim body. “I don’t really do anything. It’s genetic. My grandfather had big calves when he used to play football. But I don’t do any calves, or anything like that. To be honest. , I have big calves since I was young”, Grealish tell.

Besides the headband, Grealish always wears a habit of pulling his socks down near his ankles, and possesses a dribbling ability that reminds fans of some strikers of the 1970s. The 26-year-old midfielder explained: “I am I think when I was about 14 or 15 years old at Aston Villa, we were sponsored by a brand. Then, the socks usually shrink after washing. I can’t pull the socks over my calf because the socks are so small and short. So I started pulling my socks down to my calves in training, and by the end of that season I was doing really well.After that, I started pulling my socks low even in official games. That’s because I had a very good season.”

Many football players are superstitious, always maintaining small habits amid the pressures of professional sports. This is even something Grealish has particularly valued from this current season, when he left boyhood club Aston Villa to join champions Manchester City. Pep Guardiola and became the most expensive English football player in history.

Grealish shed tears and had many thoughts on the day of parting Aston Villa. “This is a landmark decision,” emphasized the midfielder, who grew up at Aston Villa and spent seven years with the first team. “I have been at Villa since I was six years old, growing up, playing for the club as a teenager and becoming captain. Leaving is a difficult decision, I have said this many times. But I feel I made the right decision. It’s the perfect time to leave, try something new and step out of your comfort zone.Things are different at Man City, because at Villa and when he joined England, the whole team had the same culture. .

Grealish was especially surprised by the linguistic “acrobatics” of his Brazilian teammates Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho. “I’m sure they can speak three or four languages ​​each. It’s unbelievable. That’s what I really wanted to do, but don’t think I have the patience to do it,” the runner said. The English wing told about the initial project when integrating into the new club.

Maybe, but Grealish needs to be patient as he tries to adapt to Guardiola’s football. He was used to moving freely on the left corridor according to Dean Smith’s system at Aston Villa, but now no longer has such influence at Eithad Stadium. Grealish moves less, is no longer a key player in the squad, and is just a cog in a meticulously managed machine. “It’s no secret that I want to score more and create more goals. But I feel like I’m playing well, even when I’m not scoring or assisting,” he said.

The most expensive English player in history also spent a lot of nice words for Guardiola. “He’s an unbelievable coach, a football addict. As soon as Guardiola entered the training ground, it was all about football, everything was just for the next game. I can’t say enough. about Guardiola He’s a great coach, helps the team a lot.Sometimes this season, Guardiola brings victory to City by himself, with his formation and tactics. We just went out on the pitch and finished it. work,” said Grealish.

In addition to professional issues, Grealish is also learning and absorbing many other aspects, especially how to control the strong emotional fluctuations in football. He admitted this was the biggest challenge, as he went from boy and captain of Aston Villa, to the most expensive English player in history with a fee of nearly $140 million at Man City. Grealish said: “I’m still learning just to deal with the good times, and the bad moments. I think in football, emotions are a roller coaster ride. You know it. When I went out on the pitch and didn’t get the results I wanted, I came home in a state of dismay.”

The player born in 1995 then quoted the advice of Steve Burns – one of the old teachers at Aston Villa furnace. Grealish recalls: “Steve always told me ‘Pressure is a privilege’. Football has such a mental side where you need to have the right mindset. Pressure is a big deal in football. , especially for me, when you arrive at Man City at such a price, and being British. I think the media here always put a lot of pressure on your shoulders.”

In the summer of 2021, Grealish emerged as the most popular player in England’s journey to the Euro final. “You’ve heard the saying, you don’t realize how big or good something is until it’s gone? That’s what happened to me. When I look back at Euro 2021, it’s unbelievable. It was one of the best experiences of my life,” Grealish confided. “The England fans are amazing. They do everything to make us feel at home at the hotel and at the base. I love that. It’s a shame we couldn’t get past the final hurdle in the final. , and falling on penalties is the worst way to lose. There are some regrets, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent England in the big tournament. I think it’s a moment that unites the country with together”.

Before thinking about winning the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year, Grealish wants to win trophies with Man City and enjoy his first season in the Champions League. Last year’s runner-up wanted a more spectacular ending and took another step forward this season.

“Most of the Man City players have won many championships, even many times. So the Champions League is what many people want this year,” said Grealish – who is still looking for his first title. – speak. “It would be great if we could win every competition, but the Champions League is the only title that City haven’t won, and that’s what the whole team is looking at.”

Hong Duy