I’ve been thinking about this one for the last couple of days, but my thoughts have been somewhat superceded by the speculation that Leicester might be willing to go to £40 miilion to get Grealish.
Not that it matters, as although Grealish’s sale would probably ease our FFP worries at a stroke, it quite simply isn’t going to happen; at least at that money.
Ok, the footballing world is totally mad, when it comes to money, but why would anyone pay anywhere near that amount?
The answer is you simply wouldn’t if you believe the stories that say we are right on our uppers and have to get the money in at any price.
I’m sure we said we were skint last season, yet we still managed to sign John Terry at around £3.6 million a season, if you believe what the Birmingham Mail says. That’s £70k a week. For a championship player!
As much as he might have improved things around the club, that’s massive money.
You can argue about if it was well spent or not, but the point is that considering we had very little to spend, we still managed to come up with a contract like that.
Shenanigans at play, to say the least.
Moving back to the important point, when we were talking about Grealish being looked at, at around the £20 mill mark, it seemed to me, that it was a Birmingham Mail led thing, that was suggesting that we should sell him because we’d be holding him back wrt his aims of playing for England and he’s simply too good for the Championship?
But as much as I like Jack as one of our own, so I also have to ask why we’d let him go so easily?
The simple answer is I wouldn’t.
Let’s look at the facts.
Ok, Jack had a great Semi-final game against Liverpool, but what else had he done before and up to christmas just gone?
Yes, he’s been a revelation in the second half of this season and has looked our only threat at times.
But is half a season enough for us to say he’s served the club brilliantly, as is being made out?
I believe Jack’s agent is his dad, isn’t he?
Maybe that’s why the Mail are suggesting he should leave, because there are things being whispered in ears?
Surely not.
But I’m not wearing it, by a long chalk.
I’d say it’s the total opposite and Jack owes us big time, for bringing him though.
It wasn’t so long ago that I was slating Jack as a bit-part player, because of his lack of effort, after all.
The way things are being portrayed, Jack’s time is running out if he wants to make the England squad and he’ll never do it in the championship.
I say Bullshit!
If he consistently plays well enough, he’ll be picked, because he’ll be be promoted with us or bought by a Prem club further down the line.
But do you know what the annoying part is?
He’s only 22.
If he was 28-30, I could understand the concern.
Of course, if it’s really true that we have no choice but to sell him, that’s a different thing.
He gets a fat contract, we get good money and it’s all good.
Except we’ve just lost every sign that we’re aiming upwards.
If we let Grealish go, I’ll know that Xia has given up and wants out.
Hence Grealish will stay, in my opinion.
