Jack Grealish has revealed that he ‘regrets’ his ‘stupid’ comments about Miguel Almiron after Man City’s title win and has messaged Newcastle defender Matt Targett to apologise to the Paraguayan.
During celebrations at the end of the 2021/22 season, Grealish joked that Riyad Mahrez needed to be subbed off because he was ‘playing like Almiron’ – a drunken remark which did not go down well on Tyneside.
Since then, the winger has transformed into a completely different player after scoring seven goals so far this season, also picking up both player of the month and goal of the month awards for October.
In a recent interview, the England international has admitted that he made a mistake and has deserved the criticism that followed, insisting he’s actually ‘buzzing’ for the Newcastle man after seeing his dramatic upturn in form.
On the incident, Grealish said: “I messaged Matt Targett because I’m close with him from Villa and I said to him ‘can you message him for me and say to him that I apologise, I obviously didn’t mean it.’
“When I look back on that, that was just one thing that was stupid of me to say it. I shouldn’t have said it. I didn’t realise it was going to go out. I didn’t realise it was a video to go out, I thought it was just private. But even in private I shouldn’t have said it because he’s a fellow professional.
“I’m actually buzzing for him, I’ve had a lot of stick off the Newcastle fans and rightly so. At the end of the day, they are backing their player which I fully understand.
“He said something about me in the interview the other day, he wished me the best. I thought ‘what a guy man’ because if that was me and somebody had said that about me, I’d have probably been the other way.”
Grealish has come under a lot of criticism for being unprofessional in his comments and perhaps some of it was fair, but his apology at least showed respect towards Almiron and it is probably time for us to forgive and forget.
Was what Grealish said out of order – yes of course it was.
But to be fair, I’m honest enough to say I’m one of those Newcastle fans who had written Miggy off – he was not playing well & his form this season has been truly remarkable.
But I’m not a professional footballer digging another out one camera – I am someone who has said plenty of stupid things when I’ve been drunk.
It was a d!ck move, but fair play to him getting in touch with Miggy via Targett & fair play for talking about it here – plenty others would have dodged it.
Sharpy17(Quote)