Jack Grealish left ‘stunned and upset’ by England Euro 2024 axe after being forced to wait for team-mate’s fitness test

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GARETH SOUTHGATE has made a habit of taking ruthless calls during his eight years as England boss, writes Dave Kidd.

And his decision to axe Jack Grealish, as well as James Maddison, is further evidence of the Three Lions chief being unafraid to take big decisions with big-name players. 

Harry Maguire is also among the seven players left out for the squad to travel to Germany for the Euros, although the decision to omit the Manchester United centre-back is based on his failure to recover from injury. 

Southgate is, more than ever, picking on form.

Attacking midfielders such as Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon have been rewarded with call-ups for their excellent Premier League form, while Marcus Rashford, Maddison and Grealish all get the chop.

While the England boss is often regarded as an over-cautious nice guy, he took big decisions in getting rid of the likes of Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Chris Smalling at the start of his reign. 

Southgate also jettisoned Raheem Sterling last year after the Chelsea man had been a regular starter throughout most of his reign. 

And Jordan Henderson was left out of the 33-man preliminary squad having been a stalwart for Southgate throughout his previous three tournaments.  

Grealish has been a cause celebre for England fans - who have often accused Southgate of holding an agenda against him. 

But he has struggled for game-time with Manchester City all season, just as Maddison has been off-form since returning from injury at Spurs.

This is a bold changing of the guard from Southgate, who has relied heavily on Maguire, Henderson, Sterling and Rashford throughout his time in charge, while Grealish and Maddison are both popular flair players who fully expected to make the 26-man party for Germany.

Burnley keeper James Trafford, the Liverpool duo of Curtis Jones and Jarrell Quansah and Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite make up Southgate's seven-man cull along with Grealish, Maddison and Maguire. 

WHAT Gareth Southgate said about his axed England stars after confirming his 26-man England squad for Euro 2024.

Harry Maguire

"The decision on Harry [Maguire] is totally about his physical condition and his recovery from the injury. There is no other reason as he is one of our strongest centre-backs.

"Harry has made some progress, but it's been complicated and we wouldn't have had him in the group stages. There were too many hurdles to get through without being clear where we might get to.

"Knowing we haven't got a clean bill of health across the rest of the backline, we need players who are fit and ready to go from the start.

"It was a really difficult call, you know how I feel about Harry, what he's done for England and for me as a manager. "

Jack Grealish

“I have just delivered a really difficult conversation to a lad who is devastated.

"I think the world of him as a kid.“It certainly doesn’t get any easier.

"You put yourself in the shoes of a player, a parent. You understand that for these players this is a devastating moment.

“We knew we had a couple of really difficult days coming up."

James Maddison

"Madders [Maddison] and Jack [Grealish] would have provided us with something different as well and they've been tough calls.

"They're calls we've gone over and over and over as a group of staff to try to be fair and to try to use the right rationale.

"We back our decisions but we recognise we could have gone a different route. The boys are big characters, fabulous team-mates and great boys to work with.

"It's sad to have to deliver that news to them."

Jarrad Branthwaite

"It's a bit early for Jarrad [Branthwaite]. He has had a fabulous season, it was good to get him on the pitch the other night.

"But of course, in an ideal world, you'd like that balance of left-footers. For him to be in ahead of the others, I don't think it would have been the right call at this stage."

Jarell Quansah

"Jarell Quansah has stayed with us. He's not had the experience of an England international at Wembley. It'll be great for him to be us for the game.

"Hopefully we're not needing to call anyone else in."

GARETH SOUTHGATE will have no choice but to take the handbrake off his England team at Euro 2024.

The defensive crisis gripping the Three Lions means the only option in Germany, within ­reason, will be outright attack.

Southgate has often been lambasted for his safety-first approach — even if he points out you must go back to Walter Winterbottom’s sides in the 1950s to find an England manager with a better scoring record.

But with the crocked Harry Maguire left out, Luke Shaw not fit enough to start the tournament and John Stones having made just 12 ­Premier League starts this season, this is not a defence you would stake your life on.

The last time England went to a major tournament in Germany — the 2006 World Cup — the four centre-backs selected were Sol Campbell (68 caps), Rio Ferdinand (47), Jamie Carragher (25) and John Terry (24).

This time, when England fly out on Monday, the quartet will be Lewis Dunk (six), Joe Gomez (14), Marc Guehi (ten) and Ezri Konsa (three).

It makes Southgate’s decision not to recall the 49-cap Eric Dier for his ­provisional squad even stranger — especially considering his strong end to the season with Bayern Munich.

The elder statesman in his defence — and the one who absolutely has to stay fit — is 71-cap Stones.