In a raw Sky Sports interview aired on September 27, 2025, Jack Grealish opened up about his turbulent four-year stint at Manchester City, admitting that his well-documented love for nightlife sometimes came at the wrong moments and contributed to his fall from grace under Pep Guardiola. The 30-year-old England star, now thriving on a season-long loan at Everton, reflected on how poor off-field decisions—coupled with tactical constraints—saw him evolve from a £100 million treble hero to a peripheral figure, starting just seven Premier League games last season. Yet, Grealish defended his character, insisting partying isn’t the full story, while praising new boss David Moyes for reigniting his spark. With four assists in five league games and the August Player of the Month award already in the bag, he’s quickly becoming Goodison Park’s talisman.
The Admission: “I Probably Haven’t Picked the Right Times”
Grealish, speaking to former Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood, didn’t shy away from self-accountability. He acknowledged the media’s fixation on his social life—headlines often splashed with Ibiza jaunts or post-match revels—but owned that timing was his Achilles’ heel during City’s 2023-24 campaign, his third year at the Etihad:
> “People go, ‘he likes to go out, he likes to party’ – and I do. I want to be able to live my life as well and enjoy myself, but there’s a time and a place to do that. I’ll be honest with you, I probably haven’t picked the right times – sometimes at City, for example, 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 third year, I put that down to myself really and I feel like I didn’t do certain things right in that year.”
This echoes earlier whispers: Post-treble celebrations in 2023 drew Guardiola’s ire (he once benched Grealish and Kalvin Phillips for “behaviour on and off the pitch”), though the City boss later clarified omissions were tactical, not punitive. Grealish’s dribbles per game plummeted 56% from his Villa peak, from 3.5 to 1.5, as he adapted to Guardiola’s rigid system—sacrificing flair for positional discipline. Injuries (hamstring in 2022-23) and competition from Jeremy Doku, Savinho, and Phil Foden compounded the slide, leaving him with 20 league appearances (13 as sub) in 2024-25.
From City Sidelines to Everton Spotlight: Guardiola vs. Moyes
Grealish’s City tenure wasn’t a flop—five major trophies, including the 2023 Champions League—but it stifled his maverick joy. “At City, I became a cog in Pep’s machine,” he told Sherwood, contrasting it with Moyes’ liberating approach: “He says to me, ‘when you get the ball just go and do what you want to do’.” This freedom has unlocked vintage Grealish: Dribbles up 40%, key passes averaging 2.2 per game, and that signature swagger terrorizing defenses again.
He addressed the loan move’s skepticism head-on: “People were saying, ‘what are you doing going to Everton?’ and I was like, ‘what do you mean?’ It’s a massive club. I’m at my best when I feel loved. You know I’m quite vulnerable off the pitch and I wanted to go somewhere to just feel the love again.” Guardiola, who omitted him from the Club World Cup squad in June, had signaled an exit: “He has to play… to have the butterflies in his stomach again.” City prefer a permanent sale (linked to Tottenham, Villa, Bayern), but the loan—until summer 2026—buys time.
Broader Context: A Career at the Crossroads
Grealish’s revival aligns with Everton’s bright start under Moyes (unbeaten in five, top-six push), evoking Wayne Rooney or Paul Gascoigne’s Merseyside magic. Commercially, he’s unscathed—his image rights firm boasts £10.5 million in assets from Gucci, Puma deals—proving the “Jack the lad” persona endures. England-wise, 39 caps (18 starts) since 2020, but Euro 2024 bench time stung.
Fans and pundits laud his honesty: X buzzed with “Grealish owning it—class act” posts, while Sherwood called it “therapy for Jack.” As Everton host West Ham on October 18 (live on Sky), Grealish eyes a derby masterclass. For the boyhood Blue, this loan could script a glorious third act—proving life’s about timing, on and off the pitch.
