Man City’s Grealish says he tries to take heckling as a compliment

Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish, often the target of heckling since moving to the Premier League champions, says he endeavours to take the jeers from opposition supporters as a compliment.

Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola, right with Jack Grealish at the end of the English Premier League match against Arsenal. | Photo Credit: AP

Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish, often the target of heckling since moving to the Premier League champions, says he endeavours to take the jeers from opposition supporters as a compliment.

Grealish won the treble with the Manchester club last season during which he was booed at Stamford Bridge, at Leeds United and at other games. The 28-year-old, who joined City from Aston Villa for a fee of around 100 million pounds ($125 million) in 2021, has been sidelined with injury over the last few months but is hoping to play his part in City’s bid to win the treble again this season.

“I always wonder, ‘why do they boo me?’ and my mum always asks me about it as well,” Grealish told the club’s online magazine.

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“At every single away ground I go to now, I get booed and I’m not entirely sure why it is – I just have to try and take it as a positive or a compliment.

“Now is where the biggest games are coming... and this where everyone looks at you and everyone has to perform. Hopefully, I can be there for the lads, the manager and for our fans and try and be successful in these last two months.”

City is third in the Premier League standings. It faces fourth-placed Aston Villa on Wednesday and plays Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals on April 9.