Pundit demands ‘proper’ Jack Grealish apology for ‘idiotic behaviour’

Jamie O’Hara has lambasted Jack Grealish’s “embarrassing” apology after the Aston Villa star flouted coronavirus lockdown rules.

The midfielder said in a video message on Twitter he is “deeply embarrassed” after he “stupidly agreed” to go to a friend’s house at the weekend.

However, former Tottenham midfielder O’Hara doesn’t think Grealish went far enough and has encouraged the Aston Villa captain to say “sorry”.

“I think it’s completely idiotic behaviour from him, and I’m really disappointed in him because I’ve been his biggest fan this season,” O’Hara told talkSPORT.

“I thought he was over all that stupidity of when he was young.

“What I can’t understand is his thought process in doing it. He’s a role model, he’s captain of Aston Villa, he’s got the world at his feet at the minute and he decides to go round Ross McCormack’s flat.

“As well, no one has talked about Ross, who is a complete idiot for throwing a party during the lockdown and inviting Jack Grealish – just because your career has gone down the pan, now you’re going to bring Jack Grealish into it?

“So he’s an idiot, but also Jack should not be leaving his house.

“We all want to go out and enjoy ourselves, but we can’t. People are dying and NHS workers on the frontline are working tirelessly hard to keep people alive, and then you’ve got people like Jack Grealish who are flaunting the rules to go out and have a party until 8am in the morning.

“It’s ridiculous! Mate, you’re probably on 50,000-a-week, go and sit in your nice big house in Birmingham! Just relax chill out and focus on what you’ve done this season and how good you’ve been.

“His apology, for me, is embarrassing

“He actually hasn’t said sorry. He’s just said he’s embarrassed, well of course you’re embarrassed, you’ve embarrassed yourself because you got caught!

“I just think it was a ridiculous statement to put out, a ridiculous act, and not once had he mentioned the NHS staff in his apology, because they are the people who are suffering and struggling with this virus and it was a selfish statement he put out.”

Grealish’s behaviour may also have an impact on any future move this summer, with Manchester United seemingly switching their attention to another target following the latest incident.

The Villa midfielder had been tipped to make a £70m switch to Old Trafford, but it would appear that United are now looking at Leicester’s James Maddison again as an alternative.