Martin O'Neill: 'I'd have sorted Jack Grealish out'

Former Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has said that he would have "sorted out" Jack Grealish if their first-team paths had crossed during his time in the Midlands.

The 21-year-old was dropped by Villans boss Roberto Di Matteo last week after reports that police were called to a party Grealish was attending at a Birmingham hotel.

The story came a year after pictures emerged of Grealish passed out on a street while holidaying in Tenerife.

"He needs to learn about what it takes to be an athlete. He needs to grow up very quickly," O'Neill, who was in charge at Villa Park from 2006 to 2010, told The Irish Sun. "It's not the first time. If he wants a good career, he has to stop."

O'Neill - now at the helm of Republic of Ireland - could have managed Grealish at international level but instead the youngster decided to commit his future to England after a year-long tug-of-war.

"I would have been delighted to have taken him on, but he chose elsewhere," O'Neill added. "Would I straighten him out? There's a fairly decent chance I would have done. A fairly decent chance. I've been able to do it with a few players during my time. I certainly would have been able to sort him out at club level because I'd have been working with him every day.

"I don't see him playing for England in the immediate future, but he has the talent. I'd have been delighted if he chose to play for us and I do think I'd have sorted him out.

"Sorting him out at international level when you only have someone for a couple of days, it's totally different to club level. If I was his club manager he wouldn't have a problem, I promise you. I don't think that he would have been involved in the shenanigans he has been if I was his club manager."

Grealish will hope to force his way back into Di Matteo's plans when Villa travel to seventh-placed Barnsley on Tuesday evening.