Aston Villa and Scotland star John McGinn has revealed he found being a captain ‘alien’ at first but now feels comfortable with the role. He is also enjoying the responsibilities more.
Steven Gerrard named the midfielder as his new skipper at Villa Park ahead of the Premier League season. Tyrone Mings held the armband last term after Jack Grealish completed his £100m move to Manchester City. But Gerrard wanted the centre-back to focus on himself.
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Steve Clarke has also afforded McGinn the armband for Scotland in a handful of matches if Andrew Roberston is absent. The Liverpool left-back is missing for the Tartan Army’s three Nations League games this month while he is recovering on Merseyside from a knee injury.
McGinn captained Scotland to a 3-0 win over Ukraine on Wednesday night and scored the opening goal of the game. He will again take the armband when the Tartan Army hosts the Republic of Ireland on Saturday. He will also lead Scotland out against Ukraine on Tuesday.
McGinn has admitted he found the Aston Villa and Scotland captaincy ‘alien’ at first
But the extra responsibilities of leading Aston Villa and Scotland as the captain were not an extra burden McGinn felt comfortable with straight away. Instead, he has revealed ahead of his 50th Tartan Army cap, via the Express and Star, how he needed to mature into the role.
“I’m certainly more comfortable and enjoying the responsibility a lot more,” McGinn said. “I know I’m only standing in for Robbo [for Scotland] when he is suspended or injured. But doing it at club level and then doing it here, it’s starting to become a little bit more natural.
“It was alien at the start, but both gaffers [Gerrard and Clarke] have got belief in me doing that role. I am thoroughly enjoying it and it certainly makes it a little bit extra special when you captain your country.”
Gerrard will hope to see McGinn continue to grow as a leader at Villa Park
Gerrard will hope to see McGinn continue to grow as Aston Villa’s captain when he returns from representing Scotland. The burdens of the armband have seemed to weigh heavy on the midfielder’s shoulders over the opening weeks of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
HITC Football has recently only placed McGinn ninth in our Aston Villa Power Rankings for the term so far. He has appeared to try too hard to get things to click in the engine room at Villa Park. The 27-year-old has been far from his usual standards, both on and off the ball.
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