Tim Sherwood has claimed that one Manchester City player is unlike anyone else he’s coached.
Having managed Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, this former Blackburn Rovers captain knows what it’s like to work with several top-flight players.
Now though, the 55-year-old has shared some behind-the-scenes details on one particular City player he has coached previously.
Sherwood says one Man City player will have changed under Pep Guardiola
Speaking in a recent edition of Under The Cosh, Sherwood had this to say about Jack Grealish including what he was like behind the scenes when they were at Villa together and how different he’s likely to be now at City.
He said: “Jack is a lovely boy. I used to say to Jack ‘There’s nothing you’ve done that I haven’t done. As long as you keep performing, you will play for me because you’ve got a special talent. But as soon as you haven’t got that special talent and you’re having to rely on whatever else is there, you won’t play.’
“He was always good with me, always perfect. Yes, it’s well-publicised, he had his few hiccups, but I think he’s out of that now.
“He’s with a guy now who he knows will not suffer that because there’s so much competition around.
“If you’re a genius of a player, like I believe he is, if he’s at Aston Villa where there’s no other like him, he can take a few liberties.
“Now, when he’s one of many at Man City, he has to do whatever the manager wants.
“If Pep decides they can’t drink and they can’t go out or whatever, if he steps out of line, he doesn’t play. Why would you not want to play in that team and win trophies?
“You have to do whatever the manager wants and I believe that he keeps them very straight but can still enjoy themselves at the same time and at the right time.”
Jack Grealish has been a key figure for Guardiola at City
After he scored 32 goals and delivered 41 assists in 213 senior appearances for Villa, 20 of which came under Sherwood, the winger joined City back in the 2021 summer transfer window in a deal worth £100m.
Since then, the Englishman has made 122 appearances for City across all competitions, scoring 14 goals, delivering 18 assists and winning numerous domestic and European trophies along the way.
Having played a prominent role in last season’s Treble-winning campaign and finding himself in the starting XI for City’s two previous games against Real Madrid in the Champions League and Chelsea in the FA Cup, this shows just how much faith Guardiola has in him.
Therefore, it’s clear that Grealish not only has the ability to play on the pitch how his manager wants him to but also has the right attitude to warrant a place in the team.
