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Jack Grealish says he is thriving on the comparisons made between him and one of England’s boldest playmakers, Paul Gascoigne.
The Aston Villa captain was one of the star performers in his third consecutive start in England, as Gareth Southgate’s team signed off a test year in international football with a complete 4-0 Nations League victory over Iceland at Wembley.
Grealish was asked by reporters after another impressive display of comparisons to Gazza and the 25-year-old welcomed the praise and vowed to continue to entertain with his performances.
“I thrive on those kinds of comparisons [to Gascoigne]”Grealish told reporters after England concluded their Nations League campaign on Wednesday night.
“I love the way he played football with all the freedom and all the joy … I want to entertain people, but I always want to be effective on the field like Gazza was.”
Grealish burst onto the scene in the Premier League early in his career, but has had to bide his time for sustained international exposure.
Having faced media scrutiny after a series of late-night incidents in recent years, Grealish says he has matured and can handle the pressure that comes with his new England profile.
4:48
Highlights from the UEFA Nations League A2 match between England and Iceland
“I think now I’m old and wise enough to handle that [pressure] now, “he said.
“As you get older, you learn that you are a hero to many people and a role model. I have to take it easy, and I just love my life.”
Grealish’s smooth start to England’s life has given coach Southgate a selection headache as preparations for next summer’s European Championship roll into focus.
3:09
Jamie Carragher claims that despite a very positive performance in Belgium, Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish will not start for England once Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford are back in shape.
But, speaking with Sky sports After the game, Southgate insisted it was the kind of dilemma managers can only dream of as he seeks to lead the next generation of English talent to glory.
“The reality is that a large part of the squad that we have had in the last three months is going to reach its peak in three or five years, that’s when they will have a lot of caps, a lot of international experience and more club experience.” “said the England coach.
“We think they are worth investing time in and they are learning a lot from some very good senior professionals.
5:32
Gareth Southgate says the age of the scorers in his team’s 4-0 win over Iceland at Wembley shows that the future is extremely bright for England
“We are trying to build and improve all the time, and there was lovely football that was good to watch and of course for the youngsters, it was special for them.”
“From the back, the play was built so well, we moved it hard and took good positions, and the move from Phil (Foden), Jack (Grealish) and Harry (Kane) was excellent.”
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