Former Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp makes strong Jack Grealish claim after positive sub appearance

Former Birmingham City and Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp believes that Gareth Southgate is simply not a ‘great fan’ of Jack Grealish.

The comments come after England’s 1-1 draw with Germany on Tuesday evening where Grealish was brought on as a late substitute but ultimately - his impact made a big difference in levelling things up on the night.

“I’ve said all along I don’t think Gareth is a great fan of Grealish I really don’t,” Redknapp told TalkSport.

“He got into the team in the first place before the Euros when public opinion was really so strong for Grealish that he had to - he was coming off the bench and doing fantastic stuff.

“I just think - we’ve all got opinions on players when you’re a manager, some we like, some the crowds favour but you don’t play them because they aren’t what you want or you don’t see them as part of your team or how you want to play. I just feel like he’s one of them.

“It’s a game of opinions, he’s the manager, he chooses his own players and how he wants to play but I don’t think he sees Grealish - I don’t think he’s particularly enamoured with Grealish - it’s just my opinion.”

Redknapp was quick to weigh in on whether he’d be playing the former Aston Villa starboy too if he was manager, adding that he ‘loves him’ and that he’d be ‘one of the first names’ on the team-sheet.

“Oh yeah I’d play him,” he added.

“He’d be right there.

“I love him, he’d be one of the first names on my team-sheet for sure.”

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