Wayne Rooney picks the one England player he’d love to manage

Wayne Rooney has praised Aston Villa star Jack Grealish and believes he could be the key to England thriving at the Euros this summer.

Grealish, 25, didn’t feature for the Three Lions during their game against Croatia on Sunday despite being one of the most talked-about players within the squad. The Villa sensation was left on the bench and while England did manage to win 1-0, many still believe Grealish could be the catalyst behind this side really excelling in the coming weeks.

During his recent column for The Times, former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney spoke about why he’s the one England player he’d “love” to manage if given the chance.

“Jack Grealish is the closest thing I’ve seen to Gazza on a football pitch.” Rooney explained.

“He has a lot to do to reach Gazza’s levels but his style of play, the way he takes the ball and runs with it in a way that is so awkward to play against, his sheer confidence on the field — it all reminds me of the legend I watched at Everton, and then trained with when I joined their first-team squad.

YouTube video

“For England, I think Harry Kane is the most important player but Grealish is the one who is going to light up the tournament. He has to play. 

“Just like Gazza, his style is suited to the international game, where moments of inspiration often make the difference.

“If you’re looking for someone to open a team up with a bit of magic, then Grealish is the one who can do it for Gareth Southgate’s side. 

“He attracts defenders, draws fouls and wins free-kicks in dangerous areas. He creates chances and scores goals too.”

Grealish will hope to play at least some kind of role in England’s second group stage match against Scotland this Friday.

Featured image credit: Getty