LONG READ
CAN YOU HEAR THEM CALLING OUT YOUR NAME?
By Mike Taylor
In an interview that first appeared in the Official Matchday Programme for the visit of Brighton & Hove Albion, JACK GREALISH discusses the moment he knew Everton would be the perfect fit for him, finding rhythm quickly and what he was told about the Club by one of his all-time football heroes, plus an 11-year-old Blue explains why his arrival signals the start of a new beginning...
So it begins, a new chapter for Everton Football Club – the first-ever competitive game at the Blues’ new world-class waterfront home, Hill Dickinson Stadium.
A new setting, a familiar face in David Moyes, who is set to embark upon a first full season after his return, new guardians in The Friedkin Group, who have not only stabilised the Club but given Evertonians reason to dream again.
One of the causes for optimism has been born out of activity in the summer transfer window. The addition of England international Jack Grealish particularly captured the imagination of supporters, while also moving the needle on the perception of Everton – and the seriousness of the Club’s future ambitions – in the wider football world.
Grealish, who remains Britain’s most-expensive player after his reported £100million move from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021, combines flair and creativity on the pitch with an affable nature and unique style off it, making him a cultural icon of the modern game – once cheekily summarised by London-based rappers, The Manor, whose track Grealish included the line, ‘Jack Grealish, king of the freemen, man of the match throw a party in the evening’, ahead of Euro 2020.
Now starting a new chapter in royal blue, Grealish has his sights set on unleashing the best version of himself again after a trophy-laden four seasons with City.
“I’m over the moon to be here,” he beamed after putting pen to paper on a season-long loan with the Toffees. “I’ve said to a lot of people recently how much of a massive club Everton is. I think everyone knows that. It’s such a historic club. After I spoke with the manager, some of the players here and even ex-players, this was the only place I wanted to come.
“I think the main thing for me is to have that fresh start and, with the way this club is heading, with a really good second half of the season last year under the manager and a new stadium, it was just perfect.
“I come here feeling like an experienced player. I want to help Everton, I want to help the team. I can feel already there’s a lot of talent in the squad and hopefully we can go on to do good things together.”
Those first words came as music to the ears of Evertonians, perhaps most of all to younger generations of supporters, for whom seeing the Club sign someone of Grealish’s profile signifies a new beginning.
Just ask 11-year-old Season Ticket Member, Owen, from Seaforth, who admirably but somewhat prematurely headed to the Club’s new store at Hill Dickinson Stadium with his dad, Alby, on the day of Grealish’s signing to get his name on the back of the new 2025/26 pastel-yellow away shirt.
“As soon as I heard we were about to sign him I said to my dad that I had to get to the shop to get his name on the back of my new shirt,” Owen told the Official Matchday Programme. “When we got to the shop, they apologised and told me it wasn’t possible to print until it was made official.”
That wait would turn out to last an entire morning and afternoon.
“We ended up leaving for home after meeting some more of the players and on the way back we heard on the radio that it was finally confirmed. I convinced my dad to go back to the shop to let me get it on my shirt!
“He’s a boss player and I think he’ll be boss for us. We’ve had some tough seasons but I can’t wait for this season now. I’ve got a new seat in the stadium and we’ve made some really good signings.”
Moyes, too, was delighted to see Grealish signed, sealed and delivered at Finch Farm after a summer of speculation and links with moves to various clubs in the Premier League and across the continent.
The Blues boss likened the opportunity to a previous experience with Jesse Lingard, who Moyes took to West Ham on loan from Manchester United for the second half of the 2020/21 term. Lingard registered 14 goal involvements (nine goals, five assists) in just 16 Premier League outings to help the Hammers secure Europa League qualification and a return to the England squad for Lingard after a near two-year absence.
“I think we’re getting him at a good time because he’s experienced, he understands the Premier League, and we’re all fully aware of the levels he’s capable of performing to,” insisted Moyes.
“I know Jack’s ambition is to get back into the England squad, so hopefully we can help him achieve that over the course of the season.
“We’re all looking forward to working with him and providing a platform for him to show the best version of himself.”
Discussing his first impressions of working with Grealish, Moyes continued: “I think Jack can play in several positions. My aim is to get Jack in positions where he can be creative for us – score goals, get assists. It’s a big challenge for him as well so I’m looking forward to how he responds to it.
“He’s looked fabulous [early on]. He’s in good enough shape and there are a lot of good things to like about Jack. I just need to make sure I give him the right time.”
Grealish cited Moyes as a key reason behind his decision to choose the Blues over other options this summer.
“Do you know what? And I’m not just saying this, when I had my first chat with the manager, I just knew I wanted to come here,” he explained. “He was one of the reasons, probably the main reason. He wants me to be in the final third, be creative and to have no fear like I’ve shown before. You know, sometimes you will lose the ball and miss chances but you need to have that side where you can go and play that killer pass and that end product – that’s the aim. If I do that, I feel like I can really help the Club.
“After speaking to [the manager], I said to my agent, ‘From now on, I don’t want to go anywhere else – if we can do it, I want to play for Everton’.
“The chat with him and then, of course, I’ve always known how big this club is and, personally, how difficult it’s been to play at Goodison Park over the years. The fans are incredible and I’m happy I finally get to be on their side!”
On plans to break back into the international scene ahead of the World Cup in North America next summer, Grealish said: “I hope so, yes. Fingers crossed and that’s the aim. But, listen, I just want to help this club be successful. That is my main aim. Whatever I can do to help, whether it be with goals and assists, or whatever, that’s what I want to do. I want to help us win football matches and who knows where it can take us.”
The most familiar face to Grealish in the current Everton squad is England teammate and close friend Jordan Pickford.
The pair were part of Gareth Southgate’s England side that heartbreakingly finished runners-up at Euro 2020 and have also forged a close bond away from the pitch.
“I want to come here, get my rhythm and show what I'm all about. Hopefully the fans know from before what I can bring, now I want to get out there and show them"
“I’ve had a lot of chats with Pickers,” admitted Grealish, breaking into a smile. “He’s been on to me for the past month or so to come here! He was on the golf course the other morning, FaceTiming me, saying, ‘Come on, has it happened yet?!’
“I’ve played with Jordan for England and he’s incredible, an absolutely unbelievable goalkeeper and one of the best I’ve played with, for sure. It’s always nice to have a keeper like that behind you. He was another person who only spoke good words about this football club.”
It may have felt like fate for Grealish to end up in an Everton shirt this summer.
No matter where you are in the world, you’re never far from an Evertonian – as Grealish found out for himself while on holiday in Marbella, Spain, during the off-season.
A chance meeting with former Blues captain Alan Stubbs one evening in the Spanish sun began to feed an already-planted seed of a move to the Blues.
"This is such a historic club. After I spoke with the manager, some of the players here and even ex-players, this was the only place that I wanted to come "
Jack Grealish
“I tried my best to get him to Everton,” Stubbs explained. “I was telling him how much he’d be loved. [I told him] I think he’d be an idol at Everton, the fans would really take to him. “I think it tells you the type of players that Everton are trying to bring to the Club, which is great.”
Then he bumped into Everton Academy graduate Wayne Rooney while out for Sunday dinner with his family in Cheshire as a move to Merseyside edged closer.
Grealish counts Rooney and Paul Gascoigne as his all-time English football heroes.
Fitting, then – and by no coincidence – he, like both of them, will don the number 18 shirt for Everton.
“I spoke to Wayne just before I signed and he only spoke good words about this club, as you can imagine,” revealed Grealish. “He mentioned something about the number 18 and believe it or not, I actually already had that in my mind, anyway, and I said that to him at the time.
“I knew him and Gazza had worn it here. They’re my two favourite-ever English players. I could have chosen number eight but, because of those two, I chose number 18.
“I loved both of them. Just how they were so fearless, you know? They were different players but both direct, both incredible footballers that were so good technically. But, yeah, I think the main thing was that they played with no fear whatsoever. They wanted to make stuff happen. If I could do anything like them during their best then I’d be happy.”
So to this opener, when the Toffees will christen their new 52,769-seater home, having started the transformation of what was once a working dock in July 2019.
Grealish was left blown away on his first visit to the stadium, having shared the experience with girlfriend, Sasha, 11-month-old baby, Mila, as well as mum, Karen, and dad, Kevin.
“I’m not just saying this because I’m here now and it’s what people want to hear, but this stadium is just incredible,” he said. “Just coming in, driving in, it just looks iconic. It feels like one of those iconic stadiums.
“I can’t wait to get started. Like a lot of clubs, this one has had some difficult moments over the past few years but when you see everyone together – players, staff, fans... that’s what makes you want to be part of this football club.
“I can’t wait to be back playing Premier League football. The past two seasons I’ve not played as much as I wanted to. I want to come here, get my rhythm and show what I’m all about. Hopefully the fans know from before what I can bring, now I want to get out there and show them.
“I’ve felt so much love from the fans already. I want to pay them back now.”
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