Paul McGrath

[Olé Olé]

Now and then, I would look to Football365 as an easy-reading source of football news and articles. A columnist on the site, John Nicholson, wrote a lengthy article on Paul McGrath which was published yesterday. Very interesting to see a British journalist write about Paul in the awe-struck tone that an Irish football supporter would use. The article includes plenty quotes from fans and footballers and links to his documentary, three of his finest moments and his interview with Tommy Tiernan. I actually watched that interview back again- amazing to see him speak so naturally about how he closes the curtains and drinks at home and says, almost by-the-way, that he has started talking to himself.

It's not ground-breaking, it is quite long but it is very digestible so worth a read or a scroll: https://www.football365.com/news/everybody-loves-paul-mcgrath-manchester-united-aston-villa-ireland

[John83]

I rewatched that Italy game recently with Aberdonian Stu and Schumi in a zoom beers thing. McGrath is immense in it, but so is Irwin, and several more are superb too. It's a great performance, but it's not the one-man band of legend.

[EalingGreen]

Finest ROI player I've ever seen, and that includes Roy Keane, Liam Brady and Johnny Giles (just caught the tail-end of his career).

I'd have him as a contender for your finest ever (alongside maybe Hurley and Carey?)

[seanfhear]

Finest ROI player I've ever seen, and that includes Roy Keane, Liam Brady and Johnny Giles (just caught the tail-end of his career).

I'd have him as a contender for your finest ever (alongside maybe Hurley and Carey?)
He certainly had a very high number of top class performances and played a lot for us too considering his injury / other issues.

Performing for Ireland he would have to be right up there. How good would he have been without the injury Issues !

[Fixer82]

Everybody played well in that Italy game. Poor Tommy Coyne ran the legs off himself for little reward.
Sheridan should've scored in second half. Houghton also came close as McAteer was on sideline waiting to replace him. Great day.

[DeLorean]

I rewatched that Italy game recently with Aberdonian Stu and Schumi in a zoom beers thing. McGrath is immense in it, but so is Irwin, and several more are superb too. It's a great performance, but it's not the one-man band of legend.

Completely agree. Biggest takeaway was how comfortable we were for the vast majority of it, particularly the first half as they didn't lay a glove on us. The early goal was huge of course with the way we were set up, we were always going to be difficult to break down.

The adulation for McGrath kind of belies how comfortable we were really, he was excellent but hardly a one man rearguard à la Dunne in Moscow.

That midfield trio of Keane, Townsend and Sheridan made his life relatively straightforward, not to mention the rest of the back five doing their stuff well.

Obviously McGrath's hat-trick of interceptions from Baggio is an iconic piece of footage, but maybe paints an inaccurate picture that we were under the cosh more than we were. Babb was pretty lucky not to give away a pen, think VAR would give it for sure.

[Fergie's Son]

It was some came but we should have scored a second (and not just Sheridan hitting the bar). We had the Italians on the back foot for a fair amount of the second half. Tremendous performance and makes the performance against Mexico all the more difficult to stomach (or it just highlights how big of a factor the heart was in that match).

[DeLorean]

This is a very interesting observation LR, I can't recall it, but A LOT of big Paul's interviews have been like that (well, any that I've heard, including the recent one on his HoF award with that arsehole Dervan). I know that speaking isn't his thing, particularly when there's a camera on him, but for god sake, you'd think that one of the proper sports journos could do a decent interview with him, that would allow him to speak without resorting to clichés, but also to put functional, interesting questions to him that would be of interest to football fans.

I always want to hear more from McGrath, as much now as ever, given he's in what could be described as as good a place as hes ever been.

Thought it'd be better to reply to this in his own thread. You might not have seen this, with Tommy Tiernan from last year. A bit more relaxed/off the cuff than most of his other interviews.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbokMepXFPY

[passinginterest]

https://www.the42.ie/paul-mcgrath-at-derby-county-5361730-Feb2021/

There's never a bad article to read about Paul McGrath. Considering the incredible issues he was having off the field and the injuries, it's remarkable that he's held in such awe by everyone who played with him. I think his legend will only ever continue to grow and we'll be lucky to have been the generation who witnessed him play.

[seanfhear]

https://www.the42.ie/paul-mcgrath-at-derby-county-5361730-Feb2021/

There's never a bad article to read about Paul McGrath. Considering the incredible issues he was having off the field and the injuries, it's remarkable that he's held in such awe by everyone who played with him. I think his legend will only ever continue to grow and we'll be lucky to have been the generation who witnessed him play.
Great Player and he even played the holding role in midfield with bad knees.

[Trequartista20]

An absolutely wonderful player, who always makes me smile at the very thought of him.

Probably my favourite player of all time, actually, when I think of it - a true legend in the very real sense.

[DeLorean]

Recent interview on Virgin Media's 'Sport Stories'.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkTRYya9ibM

[Fixer82]

Recent interview on Virgin Media's 'Sport Stories'.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkTRYya9ibM

Watched it the other night. Very good. Great insight into McCarthy getting rid of him and him talking about the final minutes of the Italy Giants Stadium game.

Also, very sad when talking about the death of his mother and how she died alone due to covid restrictions.

[OwlsFan]

A modest player who never really knew how good he was. Might have done with a decent Agent in the beginning.

[tetsujin1979]

His autobiography "Back from the brink" has been nominated for the Sports Book Awards Best Sports Book of the 21st Century so far
Vote here: https://sportsbookawards.com/bestsportsbook/