Beesotted regular and experienced sports journalist, Jim Levack, shares his thoughts on Will Grigg’s ‘wasted’ trip to Turkey on Friday and the striker’s stop-start Bees career to date…
It’s not that often in life you get those ‘I got it right’ Eureka moments, but maybe my @beesotted tweet about Will Grigg’s wasted trip to Turkey on Saturday morning was one.
I had no idea he’d be named among the subs for the Crewe game, but was delighted he was.
In the press conference after the emphatic win, Uwe Rosler switched into fed up paternal mode on the subject of Grigg’s international snub.
I’ve been there with my two lads both in football scenarios and in life situations, so when he took a sideswipe at the Northern Ireland FA I couldn’t resist a smile.
Grigg spent another 90 minutes warming the bench for his country despite assurances he would feature.
Manager Michael O’Neill had apparently promised the Brentford player game time after a series of false starts in previous internationals.
He told the media he wanted to use the Turkey friendly to assess the fringe players… or maybe not.
Despite a flurry of withdrawals and those pledges, Grigg still didn’t get the nod and made the five hour flight back to the UK, probably seething all the way.
Rosler admitted Grigg was “angry” but determined to play just hours after his country’s 1-0 defeat despite snatching just an hour’s sleep after the flight from Adana.
The Bees manager hailed him as a “fantastic substitution” – possibly a tad over the top, but understandable given the circumstances.
Grigg and Brentford have been badly let down by Northern Ireland, whose willingness to call him up without any intention of playing him is now seriously hampering his development.
Rosler said a new club, new city and new team-mates all meant the player needed careful management – a concept apparently alien to O’Neill.
The latest Turkey debacle may well prove to be a watershed for Grigg, who – were I him – should be demanding a head to head with his international boss.
He may well have already done that, but one thing is certain… until his stop start season with Brentford begins to find some semblance of rhythm, his medium to long term prospects internationally look bleak.
I’m sure he’s an intelligent bloke – the way he plays would suggest that’s the case – and will know that his best chance of forging a career for his country is to get the foundations right first at Brentford.
It’s a shame because we really haven’t seen the best of Will Grigg yet apart from in flashes when his neat flicks and clever movement give a hint of much more to come.
But the odd game here and there isn’t going to help his cause and to my mind if O’Neill can’t see that, then he really is no man manager.
Grigg’s decision will be aided now by the fact that Northern Ireland have no competitive fixtures in the pipeline, but once Mr O’Neill comes a calling for the Euro qualifiers it will be interesting to see the player’s stance.
My advice, and I’m sure Rosler’s too, would be to get your Brentford career flying and the rest will follow.
Jim Levack
You sign an international and then moan when he gets called up to international squads?!? Get over yourselves. Only displaying what a small club you are by failing understand the realities of international football.
The article is not complaining about his inclusion in the NI squad, it is clearly pointing out that his career, both domestically and internationally, needs a steady run in the team and for Grigg to get some consistency. You thinly veiled bitterness points to the jilted West Midland outfit or deluded bigclubitis.