In a figurative and almost literal sense, the club cannot have one of their star players and most expensive investments absent from such a painfully small squad
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So it turns out where there was smoke there was also fire.
It’s unfortunate that news of a player missing due to being ill can be greeted with widespread skepticism and one’s mind immediately turning to the Jennifer Lawrence “ok” meme, but that was the case last Saturday when Jack Grealish’s absence from Everton’s travelling party to the Emirates Stadium was explained away by illness.
It might have been quickly forgotten and left to the wither on the Merseyside grapevine had the Club not been moved to confirm, prior to last night’s clash with Newcastle, that the player had been left out of the squad for the Carabao Cup as well due to a “breach of club discipline”.
It has since emerged that Grealish failed to show up for more than one training session. Everton would not have taken lightly the decision to release that information publicly but it was, no doubt, necessary to demonstrate that the Club takes these matters seriously and that no one is bigger than the rest of the squad.
David Moyes told the press in his post-match press conference last night that he supports the decision (he deferred all further questions regarding the issue to the hierarchy) but he must surely be angry at a player he pushed to bring to Everton and whose presence is needed in what is a painfully small squad.
The Club simply cannot afford — in a figurative and almost literal sense — for Grealish to go missing. Moyes has just 18 senior outfield players at his disposal; the loss of Jarrad Branthwaite to concussion protocols and Grealish’s transgressions dropped that number to 16 for the games against Arsenal and the Magpies. (Vitalii Mykolenko was forced off with injury during the second half at the Emirates which took another piece off the proverbial chessboard but, thankfully, he was fit to return last night.)
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Just as importantly, at a time of Squad Cost Ratio considerations and with The Friedkin Group cinching the purse strings tight, the Blues have no room to accommodate a bit-part player who, on the basis of last season’s figures, is costing them more than £12m to have on loan from Manchester City with no resale value on the other end.
Everton have put an enormous amount of faith and capital into borrowing Grealish and, for the most part, the 31-year-old repaid that last season in assists, a couple of important goals and some exciting performances before he was struck down with a long-term injury in January.
His decision to undergo his rehabilitation at Finch Farm for as long as his loan terms would allow before returning to City, combined with his genuine affection for the Toffees and the supporters, was seemingly an acknowledgment of those sacrifices and a reflection of how at home he felt at Finch Farm and Bramley-Moore Dock.
Sadly, it’s those closest to you are often the easiest ones to disappoint and let down and that is what Grealish has done this week. Worse still is the fact that he is a role model for those younger Evertonians who proudly wear his name and numbers on the backs of their replica shirts.
Where this situation goes now is really up to Jack but it’s hard not to feel at least hugely disappointed or incredibly angry at his actions. He has reportedly returned to training today and it remains to be seen whether he is included in Monday’s squad for the re-match with the Barcodes at St James’ Park, either as a substitute or, less likely, as a starter.
You would imagine, though, that he is going to be afforded very little latitude from here on out in terms of his conduct and that Everton will have clauses in their loan arrangement with Manchester City to terminate the deal should he continue to step out of line.
That would be a very sad outcome for one of the most gifted players of his generation who has achieved it all (asterisks from the forthcoming Premier League censure of City notwithstanding) and earned 39 caps for his country. Should he fail to be integrated back into Enzo Maresca’s plans at the Etihad Stadium, he risks being frozen out from the game he so clearly loves.
Again, what happens next is very much up to him while Everton should be applauded for holding him to account while also giving him all the support he needs should his own personal demons be at the heart of this latest episode in what has been a colourful career.
Everton need him for numbers. They also need his talent if he can recapture his best form. They can’t afford a passenger when the team is so short on numbers and they have an eye on the January transfer window when transfer funds will, one would imagine, again be in short supply.
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