MIGHTY McGINN OWES A DEBT OF THANKS TO CLUB BOSS LENNON
Scotland standout quick to hail club boss Lennon for giving him the belief he could excel on big stage
JOHN McGINN has revealed the contents of an inspirational phone call from Hibernian manager Neil Lennon that powered his manof-the-match display in midfield for Scotland against Holland. A late starting replacement for Stuart Armstrong, McGinn was the outstanding performer of the new generation handed their places by Malky Mackay in Thursday’s 1-0 loss at Pittodrie.
His energy, aggression and quality passing against a top-class midfield of Dutch captain Kevin Strootman, Georginio Wijnaldum and Daley Blind saw McGinn come of age as a national team player earning his fifth cap.
Five weeks after McGinn sat on the bench for 180 minutes of Scotland’s last two World Cup qualifiers, the 23-year-old showed how he belonged on the international stage. Just as his Easter Road boss predicted. McGinn explained: ‘The gaffer at Hibs called me while I was away. He told me this was my time with Scotland. He said it took a long time for people to stand up and take notice of him. And he said I should just do what I’ve been doing for Hibs. ‘It’s brilliant to have him teaching me. And if I have half the career he had, I’ll be delighted. This is as good as I’ve felt in my career so far. I’m definitely playing the best football of my life right now and it’s all credit to the people at Hibs because they’re letting me go out and play. ‘The gaffer has been great, he believes in me. He’s put a lot of onus on me to go and lead at 23 years old. I feel as if I’m carrying that on, I’m developing and I feel stronger with every game. I’m fitter and faster than I’ve ever been.
‘On Thursday, I tried to impose myself on the game. I didn’t want to look out of place in that company. The longer the game went on, I went from strength to strength. I have to keep that level going now.’ If McGinn’s ambitions are to be satisfied, then the former St Mirren man will soon be leaving Lennon (left) and his club behind. His rivals in the Dutch midfield hail from Roma, Manchester United and Liverpool — the level of opponent McGinn is intent on tackling in his day job.
‘My confidence is high and I feel I can go in against anybody right now and compete,’ stated McGinn. ‘I believe in myself. When you go in against players like Strootman, Blind and Wijnaldum in midfield, you have to distance yourself from the fact they play in the Premier League or Serie A. ‘You need to show that you are as good as them — or better than them. I feel that I have managed to compete and, hopefully in the future, I will be going up against these players on a weekly basis.’ All this just 13 games into his return to the Ladbrokes Premiership. McGinn played Championship football for two seasons with Hibs after snubbing a move to Houston Dynamos in Major League Soccer, yet belied his second-tier status by becoming a Scotland squad regular under Gordon Strachan and making an impressive friendly debut against Denmark at Hampden. ‘Maybe when Hibs were in the Championship some people didn’t think I should be in the Scotland squad,’ he asserted. ‘But ever since I was young, I’ve always had
bumps. I’ve been knocked down with people not believing in me. But that’s just made me hungry to be successful.
‘It’s massive credit to Gordon Strachan for calling me up at that time, he had a lot of faith in me. He continued to pick me when people were slamming the decision. Hopefully people are seeing that I’m a good player now and I want to keep that up.
‘To start as No8 for Scotland was a massive honour for me. It’s the lowest number I’ve ever been for Scotland! I was 14 for the whole of the last campaign. So I’ve told my mum and dad, I’ve gone from 14 to eight — so I’m getting there!
‘I’ve had to be really patient with Scotland whenever I’ve gone away with squads because I know I’m competing with top players for a place in midfield. I managed to get an opportunity when Stuart (Armstrong) pulled out injured for the Holland game.
‘It was up to me to grab that chance. I was desperate to do that and I think I managed it. To be No8 for my country was a dream come true and hopefully I can make the position my own now.’
The bold decision of Mackay to pair McGinn up with Kenny McLean at Pittodrie created an old St Mirren alliance that did not at any stage look out of place up against Dick Adovcaat’s outfit.
‘That’s the first time myself and Kenny have played together since our St Mirren days,’ noted McGinn. ‘We thoroughly enjoyed it and, on another day, could have won the game. I first played with Kenny on my St Mirren debut at 18.
‘At that point, he was the one I looked up to in the squad because of what he was achieving as a young player. He was the top man for a few years there and he’s continued that after his move to Aberdeen.
‘I’m sure everyone at St Mirren will have been really proud to see both of us in Scotland’s midfield.’