Gareth Bale believes Jack Grealish was restricted at Man Cityplaceholder image
Gareth Bale believes Jack Grealish was restricted at Man City | Getty Images | Stick to Football
The former Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur star has spoken about modern football with a Man City example.
Gareth Bale believes Jack Grealish is a perfect example of the current state of football and the lack of true flair players at the highest level.
The former Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur star has made several headlines this week following his open and honest interview on Stick to Football. Bale spoke about a range of topics during the lengthy interview, including the current state of the game and the perceived lack of freedom at the highest level.
Many people would argue that football at the very top has become 'boring' with a current emphasis on set-pieces and individual battles, rather than open matches and moments of individual brilliance. Man City forward Grealish, who is on loan at Everton, is one such example. He was known for his artistry and flair during his rise at Aston Villa, but played with much more discipline when he made the move to Manchester.
Read More
The 30-year-old was part of the City side that won the Treble in 2023, and although he has won so many honours under Pep Guardiola, Bale believes it has come at the cost of his own identity as a player.
“I don’t know, I look at Grealish, for example, when he was at City, he just stayed out [wide]. I’m like, at Villa, you were coming inside," the Welshman told Stick to Football.
“Guardiola is an incredible manager and I would never disrespect him, but that player now doesn’t have the freedom to do what he does best, which is ultimately what got him there.
“So that’s just kind of the way I feel football’s going. Again, it evolves, generations change, long throw-ins are back in play now, so you never know. There’s hope for everything.”
Grealish has relished the freedom granted to him at Everton this season, with two goals and six assists across all competitions for the club. It is still unclear whether Everton will trigger the option to buy him permanently for £50 million at the end of his season-long loan this summer.
Continue Reading