Grealish explains Man City absence after doctor diagnosed 'worst ever' injury
Jack Grealish is the type of character who can even make a dead leg sound funny.
Talking of the challenge from Oli McBurnie that inflicted the injury back in August, Grealish suggests - in colourful language - we would be berating him for being a bit of a wimp and we would be suggesting he gets to his feet, pronto.
Yet it turns out the Manchester City attacker’s dead leg was one of the ‘worst’ an experienced medic had encountered. It forced Grealish, 28, onto crutches for several days and made it impossible for him to do any meaningful exercise for almost a month.
And that is why Grealish has not made a Premier League start since that day at Sheffield United on August 29. He explains: “It wasn’t even bad, the tackle. After the game, it was sore but when I was on the coach, I was like … ‘nah, I need something here, doc.’
“Then I went to walk off the coach and I genuinely could not walk, honestly. You might all laugh at me but it was the worst dead leg I have had in my life.
Chelsea complete record-breaking Enzo Fernandez transfer after deadline day rush
“If you get a dead leg, you have a haematoma (an area of blood that has escaped from damaged veins)… if you have a bad one, it is, like, six centimetres. Mine was, like, 20 centimetres. Our doc at City, who has worked at AC Milan and everything, said … ‘that’s the worst dead leg I’ve ever seen, by a mile’.
Join the debate! Do you think Grealish should start for England v Australia? Let us know here.
Jack Grealish has been sidelined by the 'worst' dead leg Manchester City's club doctor has ever seen (Alex Pantling)“It was the worst pain ever. I was on crutches for a few days after the game and I swear I could not even explain this pain. I could not bend my leg. For three and half weeks, I couldn’t do one cardio-vascular session. I came back and felt quite unfit. Especially the last couple of weeks, I’ve still been trying to work my way back to full fitness.”
Grealish’s explanation of the seriousness of his injury sheds some light on why Pep Guardiola has only had him on the bench for the last three Premier League games, not using him in the defeat at Arsenal.
And Grealish also admits that it was a slightly strange feeling to go again after the incredible high of the Treble. He says: “I have never been off the back of a season like the one I had. I am not saying it is hard to get motivated - you can’t say that. When you’ve done that, though, it’s kind of like … ‘what now?’”
But now he is almost back in peak physical condition, Grealish is desperate to reclaim a starring role for club and for country. And, of course, he could follow last season’s stellar exploits with City by helping England to glory at Euro 2024 in Germany.
Grealish, citing the wealth of attacking talent at Gareth Southgate ’s disposal, is certainly super-confident about England’s chances, saying: “We feel like there’s unfinished business. We feel that now is probably the perfect time to succeed. You look at the players we have … it’s unbelievable. Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Saka, Foden, Rashford, Declan Rice...
“The quality we have in the attacking areas, especially on the wing, is maybe the best in world football. It is second to none. This is one we are really looking at to go into and try and win the tournament. We do feel this is our time.”
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
