Is it advisable for managers to criticize players? Ultimately, it's about getting the best out of them.
This season, Ruben Amorim, Ange Postecoglou, Enzo Maresca and Pep Guardiola have named some of their star names with Jack Grealish.
I don't believe it is a trend where each manager responds to his own circumstances. Amorim needs to correct a failed flush at United, Chelsea may have had to recover from a lack of direction, continuity and weak management before Maresca and Postecoglou has been frustrated by Timo Werner, who as a loanee is more of a cost to Tottenham than an asset.
Guardiola this week unfavorably compared Grealish's 'form' to his younger rival for a starting spot, Savinho
Managers going public to try to get their players to take action is a balancing act and I sometimes wonder if it is necessary to go through the media. It is said that sunlight is the best disinfectant and I see managers going to extremes. But there's no point in venting your spleen unless you think the proclamation will cause a reaction.
Otherwise it's just self-gratification and you would be better off giving a player the opportunity to be somewhere else. Public opinion is therefore a dangerous arena to play in, but if any manager has earned the right to point out a player's mistakes in front of microphones and cameras, it is Guardiola. He has had a difficult season, but retains enormous credibility through his performances.
Top managers must be as honest with themselves in moments of challenge as they are in times of success. With someone as capable as Guardiola, you give him a significant degree of autonomy because he understands the responsibility of achieving good results.
Manchester City have an inherent confidence in Guardiola. As an owner I would trust my manager to deal with players as they see fit. If they weren't, I'd fire them.
You can't just support a Guardiola through all the glory years and castigate him the moment a hint of trouble surfaces. His judgment is something you either trust or not.
Grealish's legacy is fascinating. He cost a British record £100 million and was in the side that won the Treble, so I can't say he hasn't been successful. He was a valuable part of the ensemble that achieved this remarkable achievement in 2023.
With his contract running until 2027, he is now on the books for £40m, so the club, balance sheet-wise, are unlikely to lose any money if they sell him, but another £100m for him isn't vaguely realistic.
That fee was reached because Villa had the courage and resources to put in place a release clause at that price and City had the folly to comply.
Grealish changed his game to learn the disciplines Guardiola demanded, including a work ethic that demanded he follow his game and show a different side to his game and character. But with three Premier League goals and two assists since the start of last season, it's fair to say production has dropped.
Do I think he was worth £100 million? Absolutely not and, more importantly, I don't think the move has been as successful as Jack himself would have liked. He was a big fish in a small pond at Aston Villa and probably had visions of one day being equally important at City. But compare the impact he has made to Erling Haaland. It hasn't been anywhere close.
A lot of money was spent on Grealish. It wasn't a waste, but it also didn't prove he was worthy of being the Premier League's most expensive player.
My Mail Sport colleague Graeme Souness says today's players are harder to deal with. I'm not entirely sure, as Graeme himself tells a story about writing a transfer request at the bar after Joe Fagan had him locked out!
Yet I recognize that managers must be careful in dealing with the modern ego, which is also financially independent. Guardiola is perhaps the only figure who can rise above any fear and prostitute himself by saying things they don't believe will maintain order.
It may not work for other managers, but him giving Grealish a metaphorical push to rediscover his form from a few years ago is probably what the player needs.
Trent's decision would come down to the end result
Real Madrid were never going to get Trent Alexander-Arnold for £20million this month, but there could be a price Liverpool should consider.
With such a low offer they couldn't make a decision. Liverpool are aiming for a Champions League crown worth £130 million. They are aiming for the Premier League title and everything that comes with it in terms of performance and cache, which has a commercial advantage.
I don't think Real will return with a bid as high as £50 million, but it would be interesting to see what would happen if they did. At that price, I think Liverpool should be a consideration as Alexander-Arnold still has four months left on his contract and Conor Bradley looks like a ready-made replacement.
Real have their own financial management issues, so I'm not sure they can get to a position where Liverpool think they can lose Trent and continue their momentum.
But the harsh reality is that if the Spanish club were to put £50m on the table, I wouldn't be surprised if Liverpool were inclined to look at it more seriously than the current 'he's not for sale' position.
My only complaint from Tyler Dibling
This should be a big year for two exciting youngsters, Liam Delap and Tyler Dibling.
While Delap has the ability to be the next Harry Kane, I do have a bit of criticism for Dibling. I'd love to see him literally pull his socks up.
The teenager from Southampton has impressed in a struggling team, but I hate that socks around the ankles nonsense. The best in the world don't do it, only those who hint at being there.
It suggests a sloppiness of mind and concern about how you look over what you should do.
I don't want to discourage freedom of expression, especially for a creative 18 year old with a lot of potential, but I think there is a way to dress and appear that reflects how you perform.
You can go all the way back to Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles. Mavericks who were never successful at big clubs. Bowles went to Nottingham Forest in their pomp and ended up on the wrong side of Brian Clough.
At Ipswich, Delap is an all-round striker who can link play, use both feet and doesn't mind playing and rattling defenders.
I know and like Mark Ashton, CEO of Ipswich. I hope they stay up, but if the worst happens I'd be surprised if Delap doesn't get picked up by someone else.
You can say the same about Dibling, especially as Southampton are set to be relegated with a record number of points. Where he goes next will be a determining factor in how successful his career will be.
The future should be bright, but as he gets older, maybe he should consider that Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski, let alone Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, don't play with socks around their ankles and look like they just stepped out of a garbage can have climbed.
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