Jack Grealish defends Gareth Southgate: The criticism is very harsh. But thats what you get when youre English

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Jack Grealish has described criticism of Gareth Southgate as very harsh as England prepare for their first game since their disastrous 4-0 defeat to Hungary in June.

England play Italy and Germany this week in their last two games before the World Cup, with Grealish admitting that the whole squad know they need to make every second count this break before Southgate picks his squad for Qatar. Grealish also said the squad wanted to move on from their painful last Nations League break in June, when Southgate faced unprecedented criticism and barracking from the Molineux crowd in a humilating 4-0 defeat to Hungary.

But Grealish leaped to Southgates defence, speaking at St Georges Park on Tuesday afternoon reminding the world of how good Southgates England record is. I think it was harsh, he said of the criticism. We reached the Euros final last year, and the last time we lost a game in 90 minutes before the last camp was Belgium in November 2020. So I think it is very harsh. Especially as you saw at the World Cup and the Euros how well the team did and the manager. But sometimes thats what you get when youre English, and Ive had my fair share.

Grealish admitted that the England squad had not yet spoken about the Hungary defeat in detail, but he was speaking on Tuesday and the squad only met up on Monday, so there may yet be time for that. But the Manchester City winger did say England should try to move on from a very difficult evening at the end of an exhausting season.

We only put up yesterday so we haven’t (discussed it) yet, he said. Whether we do Im not sure, there are certain games in your career where you just try and brush it under the table and I think that was one of them, we knew it wasnt a good result or performance from us but were into a new camp now and a new season for all of us so we want to look forward to these games.

England fly to Milan on Thursday ahead of their game at San Siro on Friday, and Grealish admitted the players know they have to make evey second count before Southgate picks his squad for Qatar. Southgate spoke to us last night (Monday night meeting), we had a little meeting, Grealish said.

He didn’t really speak about (making every second count), but he touched on it. Were adults, we know that anyway, that at the moment every minute does count on the training pitch, off the training pitch or on a match day. So I think we all know that and just have to embrace it and try and give the manager no reason to leave us out.

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(Photo: Getty Images)

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