Jack Grealish has admitted that he is looking to use Euro 2020 to springboard his career into something greater exactly like Paul Gascoigne and Wayne Rooney did. The duo used Euro 1990 and Euro 2004 respectively to announce themselves onto the world stage and are two of many who’ve done that.
While Jack Grealish was picked by Gareth Southgate to be a part of his England squad, the midfielder has played sparingly at the tournament for the Three Lions. However, with England already qualified for the Round of 16 it saw Southgate start both Grealish and Bukayo Saka for their final group stage game and both men thrived. Grealish more so with him assisting Raheem Sterling’s goal and it saw many wonder why Southgate hadn’t utilized either player more.
However, in light of the same, it has seen the attention of the entire world upon Grealish with many wondering how much longer Aston Villa can keep their captain. But that’s exactly the impression that Grealish is trying to make as he admitted that he’s using the tournament as a spring-board for his career moving forward. The midfielder admitted that he’s trying to replicate both Paul Gascoigne and Wayne Rooney in that manner with both men exploding at a Euro in the past.
“Definitely (when asked if the Euros could be a springboard for his career). I have spoken about how big these tournaments can be in players’ careers. If you look back and think of Gazza at Italia 90, that is where he first made a… well he was obviously still well known before, but I think everyone remembers him for that tournament especially,” Grealish said, reported Goal.
“You look at Wayne Rooney in Euro 2004 – I think that was where he set his marker to say: ‘I am going to be one of the best in the world’. I am hoping to follow in their footsteps and hopefully I can do that if I get more chances in this tournament.”