- Stiliyan Petrov praised John McGinn’s leadership before Aston Villa’s 3-1 win over Bologna in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final
- The Scot’s return from injury has come at the best time for Villa
- Their next match is against Nottingham Forest on Sunday
Former Aston Villa captain Styilian Petrov has hailed John McGinn’s leadership. The Villans have dearly missed the No 7’s energy and mentality during his six-week spell on the sidelines.
Now back in the team, there seems to be a more positive atmosphere around the club, and they seem to be heading in the right direction to achieve Champions League qualification.
Speaking on TNT Sports before the game, Petrov discussed the challenges of being captain, and how McGinn deals with them so well.
“I think as a captain, you have to be a good person first. You have to be able to sacrifice, you have to understand people, you have to be a different character. That’s how you choose captains, (it’s) not about football ability, that comes later.
“When I was a captain, you had to deal with players’ problems off the field. On the pitch, you’re not going to teach them how to pass the ball; you have to encourage them, you have to make sure they’re in a good mental state to play and perform.
“John McGinn is exactly that. He supports everyone. He gives time for everyone. He’s there for everyone. This sometimes takes a lot of effort, a lot of energy, but he’s there.
“Everybody loves him around the club, the staff, the players, fans. When you have a personality like that, he leads in the right way. To have him as a captain is great.”
There is no other player at the club who deserves silverware more than McGinn. From the Championship to leading them out on European nights, lifting the Europa League trophy next month would cement him in Aston Villa folklore.
Best decision he’s ever made
Continuing with his praise for the Villa captain, Petrov disclosed an early conversation the two of them had ahead of McGinn’s move to the Midlands.
“I remember when he moved down from Scotland, he called me to discuss about the Premiership and Aston Villa. He said, ‘there is one concern for me.’ I said ‘you should be able to do it here, you’ve got everything you need.’
“And he goes ‘about being homesick,’ and I went ‘you should never worry about (it), (your) family can come down’ … ‘I’m not too sure.’
“I tell you what, now he lives not far from me, and when we talk about it, he says ‘it’s the best decision he ever made.”
Week in, week out, he is always one of the players who puts the biggest shift in. For the final stretch of the season, his energy, leadership, and strength will all be so vital to his team. Can he help them give one final push to get over the line?
