MusaEverton manager David Moyes has been urged to offer Jack Grealish some much-needed support following the winger’s recent disciplinary problems, which have kept him out of the club’s last three matches.
The Manchester City loanee has found himself at the centre of an uncomfortable situation at Hill Dickinson Stadium after failing to meet the club’s expectations. Grealish, who returned to Everton on a season-long loan in September, initially missed the Premier League meeting with Arsenal last month because of illness.
However, his absence from the subsequent Carabao Cup victory over Newcastle United was for an entirely different reason. According to the Liverpool ECHO, the England international was dropped from the squad after failing to attend a scheduled training session, an incident that reportedly angered Moyes and other club officials.
The situation became even more complicated when Grealish was once again omitted from Everton’s travelling squad for Monday night’s Premier League encounter against Newcastle. This time, the club explained that the winger was not considered match fit.
With three consecutive appearances missed, uncertainty continues to surround when the former Aston Villa captain will be allowed to return to first-team action. Everton are understood to be in discussions with Manchester City as part of the disciplinary process, leaving Moyes with an important decision to make regarding how best to handle the situation.
However, football pundits have now urged the experienced Everton manager to take a more supportive approach towards the 30-year-old, believing that the right words and personal encouragement could help him get his career back on track.
Speaking on talkSPORT, presenter Alan Brazil suggested that Grealish needs someone within the club who can offer him emotional support while reminding him of his responsibilities.
“I think Jack just needs an arm around him now and again, someone to say, ‘Hey, come on, don’t go off the rails, I need you,'” Brazil explained.
Former Premier League manager Neil Warnock shared a similar opinion, although he believes Moyes is already the type of manager capable of handling such situations.
Warnock suggested that the Everton boss would likely have spoken privately with Grealish and attempted to understand what has gone wrong behind the scenes.
“He does, but I think David is that type of manager. I think David will have had that chat with him.
“I think Jack needs David more than David needs Jack at the minute. He should knuckle down now and not look for publicity like this,” Warnock added.
Meanwhile, Moyes has remained relatively quiet about the disciplinary situation, refusing to reveal too much about the ongoing discussions surrounding the player’s future.
Speaking after Everton’s victory over Newcastle on Monday night, the Scottish manager confirmed that Grealish was currently unavailable.
When questioned about whether the situation could still be resolved, Moyes delivered a brief but encouraging response, insisting that there was no reason why the relationship could not be repaired.
“Of course, yeah,” the Everton manager replied.
That response will offer some encouragement to supporters who are desperate to see Grealish return to the team. Despite his recent difficulties, the winger remains one of the most technically gifted players in Everton’s squad, and his creativity could prove valuable as the season progresses.
Former Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton has also thrown his support behind Moyes, backing the Everton manager to bring the best out of his former teammate.
Hutton, who spent time training and playing alongside Grealish at Villa Park, believes the winger’s natural ability has never been in question. Instead, he feels the player’s immediate priority should be to regain his focus, work hard and demonstrate his commitment to the club.
“Listen, I’ve trained with Jack Grealish daily and played alongside him. He’s an outstanding talent.
“Yes, he’s had his issues along the way, but I still think the quality is in there. Working with David Moyes will get the best out of him.
“It’s just about getting his head down, working hard, and showing everybody what he’s capable of, because the ability hasn’t gone away,” Hutton said.
For Everton, resolving the situation quickly would be particularly important. Grealish arrived with considerable expectations, and the club will not want a disciplinary disagreement to overshadow what could still be a productive loan spell.
The Toffees are scheduled to return to Premier League action on Friday night when they welcome newly promoted Coventry City to Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Whether Grealish will finally be considered for selection remains uncertain. However, with Moyes seemingly leaving the door open for reconciliation, the coming days could prove crucial in determining whether the England international can put his recent problems behind him and revive his Everton career.
Musa
