Roy Hodgson confirms England in pursuit of Jack Grealish

Roy Hodgson

has confirmed that

Gareth Southgate

and other members of his association’s technical staff have been in close contact with

Jack Grealish

and his family with regard to his international future.

The England manager says he believes the 19-year-old will make a decision with regard to who he will declare for after the summer break.

Speaking as he named his squad for next month's games against Ireland and Slovenia, the 67-year-old made it clear he sees the Aston Villa midfielder as a player with a very bright future but he also made it clear that, unlike Martin O'Neill, he did not believe it would have been appropriate to try to call him up on this occasion.

“Yes we have,” said the manager when asked whether the English had made it known to the player and those around him that they, like the Irish, would like to have him on board.

“Dan Ashworth, (England under-21 boss) Gareth Southgate and Aidy Boothroyd, who are more the age group that he was before he broke into the team a month ago . . . they’ve been in regular contact with him and his family and his advisers. So he’s fully aware that if he wants to play for England we’d be very happy to have him.

“I would not have picked him on this occasion because it would have been inflammatory at the last minute if he chose us and played against the Republic of Ireland. I don’t know that we can put a timescale on it but I would be surprised, now that the matter is out in the open, if he and his family don’t make a decision when we kick off in the autumn with a new round of international matches.

“I understand perfectly why he doesn’t want to make the decision this summer. Come the autumn, whoever gets him will be lucky because he is a good player.”

Though Hodgson watched Grealish have a poor game only last weekend when Villa were trounced by Southampton, he said he knew the young player well enough not to be put off by a performance he regarded as something of an aberration.

He went on to heap considerable praise on the teenager.

Talented footballer

“I am speaking well of Jack Grealish because I have seen him a lot of late and he deserves it,” said Hodgson.

“The only game where perhaps he hasn’t done well was against Southampton where his whole team suffered. But that is probably the only one.

“He’s a very talented footballer. He can manipulate the ball in tight areas, he’s a very technically gifted player, he’s a player who like so many of our younger players is able to play without fear which is very nice.

“He doesn’t seem to be fearful on the field of play; he seems to be a very confident, strong -minded and confident individual. In my opinion, at this young age, he’s showing the qualities that will make him a very good future international player.

“But I don’t want to put pressure on him to play for us if he wants to play for Ireland. He’s got the two opportunities and he and his family – and I’ve said how important family is. There will be an Irish connection in his family as well as an English one and it’s up to them to decide what they really want to do. And when they decide, whoever is the ‘loser’ in that because he’s chosen one over the other, they should respect that, wish him all the best and allow him to get on with it.”

Pressed on the player’s apparent uncertainty over his own preferences, Hodgson made it clear Grealish should not declare for England if he retains significant reservations about the decision.

Hard thing

“If he doesn’t want to play,” he said, “or he has doubts, then don’t play. We want people who want to be there. We are not doing them a favour by picking them or turning up – all internationals managers will say that it’s a hard thing to engender.

“He has to be 100 per cent allowed to decide for himself and, in particular, it should not be a case of anyone telling him to change allegiance if that is not what he wants to do.”

Hodgson’s comments will increase O’Neill’s concerns, and those within the FAI generally, regarding a player whose talent might be considered a greater boost to the Irish cause.

The Ireland manager said last week he felt Grealish was still quite some way off actually having the option of a senior call-up for England. But Hodgson’s tone suggested that if he were to start next season as well as he has finished this one – and was available – then such an offer might well be imminent.