Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has admitted that he has made it his personal mission to nurture young midfielder Jack Grealish.
The 21-year-old has hit the headlines multiple times over the last year for his partying antics, having been pictured inhaling nitrous oxide on a night out and being involved in a hotel party that was shut down by police.
Since his arrival at Villa Park in October, Bruce has made it a priority to refocus Grealish, who helped the Villans to all three points on Saturday with a late strike against Wigan Athletic.
"Grealish will get the headlines for the right reasons," Bruce said in the wake of the victory. "Rightly so. It was a great goal.
"I'm delighted I've got him under my wing and trying to help him. It's not easy for a 21-year-old now. There have been times when we have been talking about him in the wrong context. He has the bright lights of the Second City. I've read about Jack Grealish on the front pages before I came here.
"I am trying to steer him through the minefield of being a professional footballer these days. He has to learn he can't be one of his mates, one of his mates who goes to university and gets pissed up every weekend. That's what his mates do. He can't because that's what the life of a footballer is."
Grealish recently admitted that he had "done bad stuff in the past" but is now determined to become "a role model for kids".
Neil Wilkes
