Jack Grealish and James Maddison reveals the heartfelt texts Craig Shakespeare sent to them just before he died.
Shakespeare, who had coached Grealish at Aston Villa from 2020 to 2021 under Dean Smith, and Maddison at Leicester, sadly died at the age of 60 and tributes quickly started pouring in.
Following the news of Shakespeare’s passing, Grealish and Maddison revealed a touching text message he received from Shakespeare after being left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad.
Grealish said via Instagram: “Shakey 😢 one of the greatest people I’ve ever met not only in football but in life. Last month was texting me when I didn’t make the euros squad whilst he was ill shows the type of man he was! An absolute heart of gold! Everyone really will miss you Shakey. Absolutely devastated 😢 sending all my love to his family. 😢😢🩵🩵”
Grealish also uploaded a screenshot of a text he received from Shakespeare, consoling the footballer for not being picked by Gareth Southgate in this summer’s squad.
“Jack, sometimes it’s hard to know what to say but I’m gutted for you and thinking about you. My most gifted player I’ve worked with. Take care, Shakey.”
Meanwhile, James Maddison said: “Sending texts like this even when ill. He cared about people and was a great man above all his other qualities. Will be sadly missed.”
He also showed the text sent by Craig Shakespeare: “Fuckin loved watching that last night. Not so much the performance but if you could bottle the togetherness, spirit that you see in the team & especially you Madders at present. Fuckin keep it going, so played for you. We all know things can change quickly in football but you’ve also when things seem to be ready to take off, go with it. Anyway I’m rambling & it’s breakfast time & i can smell the bacon!! Shakey”
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Three days ago, Jack Grealish said to the media that he is ready to use the ‘heartbreak’ of his exclusion as the ideal motivation to roar back with Man City ahead of the 2024/25 season.
“Obviously I’m really happy to be back. It was probably one of the longest summer breaks I’ve had in the last three or four years,” Grealish said.
“To get over five weeks holiday was very nice.
“I will be honest, I would say football wise [being left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad] it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my career.
“I was absolutely heartbroken and then when you’re on your holidays, every time you turn your phone on or TV you see it
“I have had a lot of ups and downs in my career. It was difficult but I will use this as motivation going into this new season and hopefully I can prove a few people wrong.
“I have to use that now as motivation going into this season and try and have the same mentality I had two years ago in my first season at City.
“I didn’t perform as well as I could have, but in the second I played in a lot of the games and that was down to the first season I had, I wanted to come back stronger. I want to do that again.
“So I am happy now to be back and to get a full pre-season under my belt.
“As you can see there aren’t too many of the first team guys here so I want to be here and get as fit as possible ahead of the new season.”
Looking forward, Grealish also said he was crystal clear about what he needed to do in order to bet back to his very best for City, with fitness and regular game time the key.
“I know it’s easy to say but I feel I am best when i play with confidence and playing regularly.
“When I am at full fitness like I was in the second half of the Treble season, I felt so fit and felt I could play every three days.
“Which I was, for the second half of the season I played so many games. To be playing with so much confidence and in that team was a dream for me.
“This is my chance now for me to get my fitness and to have a two-week head start and try and be as fit as possible and play with confidence.
“That’s what I need and fingers crossed I can do that now.”
Nigel Pearson said: “It’s difficult to put into words how I and indeed everyone who came across or worked with Craig will feel on hearing such devastating news.
“He is without hesitation one of the most wonderfully talented, emotionally understanding, calm, balanced and outrageously funny people I’ve had the privilege of calling my friend. Safe journey to the next destination my wonderful friend. You are loved and admired by us all, and every time we think of you, a smile, smirk, chuckle or memorable occasion will come to us. We truly are the lucky ones for having known Shakey.”
It’s difficult to put into words how I, and indeed everyone who came across or worked with Craig, will feel on hearing such devastating news.
He was without hesitation one of the most wonderfully talented, emotionally understanding, calm, balanced and outrageously funny people… pic.twitter.com/6kuNNsSX6T
— Nigel Pearson (@NigelGPearson) August 2, 2024
Twitter users gave their reaction as Jack Grealish and James Maddison reveals the heartfelt texts Craig Shakespeare sent to them just before he died…
@BigT_soprano: Craig Shakespeare was obv very highly regarded. RIP
@txm_av25: Beautiful that ❤️
@BeefyBiffa: Need Jack to come home. No idea where he fits in now, but its far more than a romantic reunion.
@olly9908: What a man and what a manager 💙😢
@sparkyanderson7: Others Centered…. not much more to life than that
@SteH90: I think Jack has a lot of things said about him, sometimes by me (!) but I only ever see him be a lovely person.
@theavfcfaithful: 🥺🥺 What a man Shakey sounded
@Idditweets: good Lord 🥹💔
@MastersPROOff: Oh my, that’s heavy 😪💙
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