Grealish does not envy Southgate´s selection dilemma: It´s scary how good we are!

Jack Grealish knows Gareth Southgate has a tough time picking his England XI, describing the Three Lions’ attacking options – of which he is one – as “scary”.

Aston Villa captain Grealish has been the subject of much attention at Euro 2020, but Southgate has so far only started the winger once – against the Czech Republic.

Grealish laid on an assist in that game and had another as a substitute against Germany, making him the only England player to create multiple goals so far in the tournament.

Unsurprisingly, the most-fouled player in the Premier League in 2020-21 (110) has also earned the most free-kicks in this Three Lions side (seven).

This is despite Grealish being limited to just 116 minutes of action, although that is still considerably more than Marcus Rashford (58) or Jadon Sancho (six).

Rashford (20) and Sancho (19) had more goal involvements in the league last season than Grealish (16) or any of Southgate’s other wide options: Raheem Sterling (17), Phil Foden (14) and Bukayo Saka (eight).

But Southgate’s difficult decisions have so far paid off, with Sterling starting all four matches and scoring three of England’s four goals, and Grealish has no issue with his manager.

“He’s been perfect with me,” the reported Manchester City target told reporters. “I see some stuff sometimes about me and Gareth but we have a great relationship. He does with all the players. He’s a brilliant man-manager.

“You have got six players that play either side of Harry [Kane] that, in reality, could play for most clubs in the world.

“Myself, Jadon, Marcus, Raheem, Phil Foden and Bukayo. It’s scary how good us six are. That’s not being big-headed or nothing. That is just the truth.

“He can’t play all six of us but one thing he’s done really well is make people think that they are still involved. He still speaks to everyone on a daily basis.”

It is Grealish whose exclusion has drawn the most ire, his introduction against Germany in the last 16 prompting a huge roar from the half-capacity Wembley crowd.

The 25-year-old says he would be watching from a fan park if he was not a player, adding his alternative vocation would likely be as “a club promoter, Tenerife or Ibiza”.

As it is, Grealish is in the England squad and revelling in the attention.

“I’m loving it. It makes me so happy and proud when I hear the crowd singing my name,” he said. “It could be too much pressure for some people but I just want to repay that.

“I always try to play with a smile on my face because I’m doing what I love.

“It’s nice when Villa fans are calling for you but you kind of expect it because you are one of them. When it’s England fans, it’s different. I get booed every single week by these fans.

“When I speak to my mum and dad, they think that it’s so nice people are not going: ‘Ah, if he was at Villa, we’d boo him every week.’

“They are giving me that support and doing it for the whole team.”