The Aston Villa midfielder is set to be an important part of their Premier League campaign.
McGinn has had something of a storied path to the elite level in England.
Rising from the Buddies’ academy, he eventually became part of a talented St Mirren side that tasted League Cup glory against Celtic in 2013, before he made the switch to Hibernian in 2015.
Spending three years in Edinburgh, famously winning the Scottish Cup in the process, he eventually moved south with plenty to prove and hasn’t looked back at Villa.
A vital member of the club’s promotion last term, he’s all set to be a big part of Dean Smith’s side in the top-flight starting this weekend.
Longwell believes he’s always shown signs of quality and has been reminiscing about his initial steps in the game as kid.
As quoted by The Scottish Sun, he said: “Everyone has their own path and there’s never an easy route for a young player.
“John McGinn came in to St Mirren at six or seven. When he was very young he was super intelligent as a footballer. I always said he could see passes that coaches couldn’t.
“You then try to refine things. I remember McGinn bulleting headers as a young kid because he was so brave. Even at that age he had a really good personality.”
Going on to state that the midfielder had problems with his physical development, it seems that it’s McGinn’s determination and mental strength that has allowed him to follow his path to the top.
That makes sense when you consider his Villa career and playing style too.
He seems like a incredibly popular member of the dressing room and that, coupled with his tenacity, has ensured his rise to prominence at the club as much as his ability.
Whether that translates to the Premier League remains to be seen, but he’s overcome every challenge and goal in his career so far.
Why stop now?
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