Premier League sporting director stunned by ‘crazy’ Gareth Southgate decision ahead of Euro 2024

A Premier League sporting director was left stunned by Gareth Southgate’s ‘crazy’ decision to drop Jack Grealish from his final England squad for Euro 2024.

Despite an underwhelming and frustrating season for champions Manchester City, Grealish was expected to be taken to Germany for the upcoming Euros after being named in Southgate’s 33-man provisional squad.

But Southgate could only take 26 to the European Championships and confirmed on Thursday that three-time Premier League winner Grealish was among the unlucky seven to miss out.

Grealish has 36 caps for the Three Lions and featured heavily in the team’s run to the Euro 2020 final and at the last World Cup in Qatar, where England reached the quarter-finals before losing to eventual runners-up France.

The decision to leave out Grealish shocked several England players, according to The Telegraph, who believed the 28-year-old would be part of the travelling party given he has been a regular since 2020 and produced a bright cameo in Monday’s warm-up win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, in which he made an assist.

It is claimed one senior player even approached Southgate to get a better understanding of the reasoning behind Grealish’s omission, while several others supported the Man City star by visiting him in his room.

One unnamed sporting director of a top Premier League club even told The Telegraph: ‘How can the England manager leave out a player who can make such a big difference from the bench? Crazy.’

Despite the surprise in the England camp, Grealish is said to have taken the news professionally and respectfully, with vice-captain Declan Rice praising his and James Maddison’s reaction to being left out.

Maddison started last season well for early title challenges Tottenham but his form petered out in the second-half and he scored just once in 22 games since the end of October.

‘It’s been really tough,’ Rice said when asked about two of the recent departures. ‘Madders and Jack are two of my best mates in the squad, I’ve probably spent most of my time with them since being here.

‘To see them go is not a nice feeling but they’ve both just said before leaving that they wish us all the best. They were pretty positive and upbeat.

‘Obviously they’re gutted not to be in the squad but we’re so close as a group so I don’t think anyone is feeling really bitter about being left out. Those two wished us all the best, as did the others who didn’t make it.

‘I’m obviously gutted but it’s just one of those things, managers have tough decisions to make. I’m gutted they’re gone but they’ve been really supportive of the team.’

Goalkeeper James Trafford, defenders Jarrad Branthwaite, Harry Maguire and Jarell Quansah and midfielder Curtis Jones were the other players left out of England’s final squad and Southgate said all took the news well.

‘All the players took the decisions respectfully and all the players believe they should be in, that’s why they’re all top players with that mindset,’ he said.

‘We have some players that have performed extremely well this season and other players have had stronger seasons.

‘In the attacking positions we’re blessed with a lot of options and Madders and Jack give us something different.

‘They were tough calls, but we back our decisions but recognise we could’ve gone a different route. It was sad to have to deliver that news to them.’

England face Iceland on Friday night in their final warm-up game before travelling to Germany for the Euros. Their first group game is against Serbia on June 16.

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