Jack Grealish won’t lie like ‘so many others’ after boozy Man City parties

Jack Grealish admits he was still hungover when he reported for England duty to St George’s Park. However, the Manchester City treble-winner insists he has no regrets over his celebrations after what he described as “the greatest weekend of his life”.

Manager Gareth Southgate said Grealish had not “crossed the line” despite a three-day bender after City’s Champions League win last Saturday. The attacker texted talkSPORT guest Jimmy Bullard to say he was in a “world of pain” on the Tuesday morning.

And Grealish has now admitted he was still far from well when he reported for a team meal later that day. “I knew in the back of my head that I wouldn’t play on the Friday, but even so I came into camp on Tuesday night,” Grealish said.

“I was a bit hungover but I wasn’t drunk or anything. We slept, then woke up and trained Wednesday. We trained Thursday. Then I did some shuttle runs off my own back after the Malta game because I felt like I hadn’t done a lot that week obviously.“

Grealish was given his reprieve by Southgate when he came on against North Macedonia on Monday after around an hour, almost immediately creating the sixth goal of the 7-0 win with a dangerous cross.

And the reception he got, even from the Stretford End, suggests that England fans, even those of a United persuasion, hold him close to their heart. “I don’t think it makes me a party boy,” he claimed.

“I would never sit here and lie to you and say ‘Yeah, I don’t drink and I don’t party’ because I do. But then there’s so many people that will come here and say to you ‘I don’t do this, I don’t do that’ when they do.

“I’m just truthful because otherwise when you see me doing anything, you’d be like: ‘Oh, hold on. He said a few weeks ago in an interview that he didn’t do that.’ But listen, I just enjoy myself.

“I’m living my dream of playing for the best club in the world in my opinion, we’ve just won that one the treble so I’m going to obviously have a break now with my family and my friends and then I’ll be raring to go again in four weeks.”

And Grealish insists he has a great relationship with England boss Southgate, who gave him his backing after his City celebrations. He continued: “I have a great relationship with him, honestly. A brilliant relationship. On the Sunday. I thought it was going to be a toss up with who plays. It could have been any of us.

“Me, Phil Foden or Rashy. Obviously it was Rashy and you can’t complain. He’s obviously one of the most in form players in the world. I thought tonight he was absolutely unbelievable. I did. I thought he was so good.

“Obviously Saks scored the three goals but I thought Rashy in the first half was frightening. I come on tonight and I’m just happy. I’ve had a brilliant season, the most successful season of my life and I think there is a time now I can just sit and relax.”