Euro 2020 - 'Right thing to do' - Gary Neville gives verdict on Jack Grealish substitution in extra-time v Denmark
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Updated 08/07/2021 at 08:02 GMT
Gary Neville believes Jack Grealish will have no complaints about his substitution in extra-time against Denmark, even if he is probably embarrassed to be a subbed sub. Grealish was hooked after Harry Kane put England in front and Neville praised Gareth Southgate over the call. “He’ll make the decisions that need to be made for the team to be successful and he puts the team first," he said.
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Gary Neville believes Jack Grealish might have been embarrassed to be taken off in extra-time of England’s Euro 2020 semi-final win against Denmark.
Grealish was introduced with 20 minutes left of normal time, but was then withdrawn when Harry Kane put the Three Lions ahead in extra-time.
Neville praised Gareth Southgate’s ability to make the controversial call and insisted that although Grealish might be left red-faced over the decision, he will accept it was the right one to make.
“There’s been moments all the way through this tournament where Gareth has been questioned and been battered if it’d gone wrong,” Neville told ITV.
He’s done things his way all the way through the tournament, there’s no ego in the dressing room.
“He’ll make the decisions that need to be made for the team to be successful and he puts the team first.
“Jack tonight has suffered and look it’s an embarrassing moment for him in the sense of being a subbed sub, nobody likes it but he will recognise it was the right thing to do for the team.”
Roy Keane echoed Neville’s comments, saying Southgate showed the necessary ‘nasty’ side every manager needs.
“He is a nice guy but you have to be nasty to work at this level,” Keane said.
It was no surprise when Gareth made that decision.
“Jack will have to look at the bigger picture. It’s all about the team getting to the final. There’s no doubt Gareth is nasty enough to make those decisions. We saw it tonight.”
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Southgate himself explained the substitution after the game, confirming it was not an injury concern but a tactical choice.
“Jack had a brilliant influence on the game,” Southgate explained.
“Denmark threw four forwards forward and we needed five [defenders] back.
“Raheem [Sterling] was such a threat that it was either going to be Phil [Foden] or Jack to get the solidity without the ball.
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England's forward Harry Kane (R) celebrates with England's midfielder Phil Foden (L) after scoring a goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 semi-final football match between England and Denmark at Wembley Stadium in London on July 7, 2021.
Image credit: Getty Images
“We still needed to get that pressure up the pitch. We sank a little bit too deep for five minutes or so.
“We just needed to keep the ball and it took us five minutes to work that out. When we started to keep it, we were running the clock down with a lot less anxiety.”
Southgate insisted the call was ‘not an easy decision’ and revealed Grealish was not upset with the substitution.
“Raheem was causing so many problems all night it had to be Phil or Jack coming off, it was not an easy decision,” Southgate said.
In the end Jack said: ‘I’m not really bothered we made the final!’ He had the impact we wanted in the game.
“They’ve found ways to win matches in whatever circumstances they’re in,” he continued.
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