Everton star Jack Grealish has opened up on his party-boy persona in a candid interview with former boss Tim Sherwood.
The 30-year-old has garnered a reputation throughout his career for off-field antics, often seen boozing and enjoying a fruitful social life.
And the former Aston Villa talisman was eventually exiled from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side, possibly due to habits that had not calmed despite his experience on the pitch.
In a remarkably candid interview with former boss Sherwood on Sky Sports, Grealish admitted “I didn’t help myself” in moments of controversy throughout his career.
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“People have a perception of me,” the winger said.
“People go, ‘He likes to go out, he likes to party, ’ and I do. I want to be able to live my life and enjoy myself, but obviously there's a time and a place to do that.
Everton star Jack Grealish has opened up on his party-boy persona in a candid interview with former boss Tim Sherwood
|SKY SPORTS
“Sometimes, I'll be honest with you, I probably haven't picked the right times. At City, I didn't help myself at times, I'll openly say that, but then I don't think it was all down to that.”
The English international played under Sherwood at Aston Villa a decade ago, when Grealish was at his most reckless.
Jack Grealish has garnered a reputation for enjoying a drink over the years
|GETTY
Grealish cited one moment when he was brought into Sherwood’s office as a teenager, after partying the night before.
“I was young at the time and I had done something off the pitch,” he explained. “You brought me into your office, and I felt the way you went about it, for me, made me want to give everything.
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Jack Grealish scored his first Aston Villa goal under the tutelage of Tim Sherwood
|GETTY
“The next game, I scored my first goal, and then I ran straight over to you.”
Grealish joined Everton on an initial loan deal this summer, with a view to making it permanent in a £50million deal at the end of the season. He made just seven Premier League starts at the Etihad last year.
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The former Manchester City star has been a revelation on Merseyside, grabbing four assists in his first five games for David Moyes’ side. He also won the Premier League Player of the Month award for August.
And the Englishman believes it is the vote of confidence he has received from new boss Moyes, which has resulted in this upturn in form.
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The Englishman has enjoyed a brilliant start to life at Everton, grabbing four assists and the Premier League Player of the Month
|REUTERS
“I’m at my best when I feel loved,” Grealish admitted.
“You know, I'm quite vulnerable off the pitch, and I wanted to go somewhere to just feel the love again and just wake up with a smile on my face and want to play again.
“I don't mean this in an arrogant way but I do like it when managers say, ‘you're the footballer, go and do what you want to do’.
“Obviously, you have your jobs. You have your roles to do without the ball and set pieces but he says to me, ‘When you get the ball just go and do what you want to do’.”
Grealish concluded by revealing his personal ambitions for the next 12 months: winning a trophy and getting back into the England squad.