Jack Grealish's Ongoing Absence: Everton's Star Player Unavailable Again
Jack Grealish will play no part in Everton’s final outing before the November international break, with David Moyes confirming the playmaker remains unavailable for Friday’s home clash against newly-promoted Coventry.
For a footballer of his profile, the silence around his situation is deafening.
The 39-cap England international, a £100 million signing when he left Aston Villa for Manchester City, will now go more than a month without competitive action. His last appearance came on October 17 against Chelsea; since then, he has missed three games and will sit out at least one more. The earliest he can return is November 23.
What began as a straightforward disciplinary matter has drifted into something more opaque. Everton initially put Grealish’s absence down to a “breach of club discipline”. After that, the explanation shifted: he has been deemed unfit to play. No further detail. No timeline. No real clarity.
That vacuum has left former Everton defender Michael Ball, like everyone else, searching for answers.
Speaking to GOAL in association with NetBet Sport, Ball admitted the situation remains murky: “Possibly. We’re still trying to figure out what's actually going on, there's nothing really coming out from the club or from Jack at this moment in time, so hope everything's well with him.”
The concern is genuine because the talent is undeniable.
“He’s an absolutely unbelievable footballer. He’s head and shoulders one of Everton's best players when he's playing on form. He loves his football, he's such a likeable lad, everybody likes him, the club adore him, that's why we've gone back in for him, just on and off the pitch, but it looks like he does have a few issues as well unfortunately. Hopefully that can get sorted out.”
Grealish has always drawn attention, on and off the pitch. That magnetism, Ball suggests, now needs to be handled with the maturity of a player no longer at the start of his journey.
“He does attract attention and obviously doesn't help himself at times. He's not a youngster anymore and you can make these mistakes as a youngster, we've all done that, but he's getting to that age now where he's probably thinking about the end of his career.”
On the grass, though, the conversation changes tone. Ball lights up when he talks about Grealish the footballer.
“But his performances for Everton, his first touches are unbelievable. When you see him, when you go to the stadium, you see him live, it's too easy for him. Maybe the fans are giving him a bit of a stick because he does play within himself, he does slow the game down a little bit, but the opposition just don't know how to mark him, don't know what to do with his ability on the ball. So that's been a shame to not be able to witness that in the Premier League so much.”
That is the crux of the frustration. A player built for the Premier League, stuck on the periphery.
“He's a player that should play in the Premier League and hopefully he can turn it around. David Moyes has said he's going to have his opportunities - when that will be, who knows. It's up to Jack to force his way back into David Moyes' starting XI, but the Premier League and Everton Football Club are in a better place with Jack Grealish. Fingers crossed, I hope he stays around.”
For now, Everton head into the break without one of their most gifted players, and Grealish heads into yet another spell of waiting. The question is no longer whether he has the ability to light up Goodison Park.
It’s whether he will get – and take – the chance to do it again.
