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Neil Lennon Was Right And Brendan Was Wrong On John McGinn: He Was Oustanding.

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Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon had a wee disagreement today over one of the players in the 2-2 draw at Easter Road. That player was John McGinn, who’s midfield tussle with Brown was highly anticipated beforehand and didn’t disappoint.

It was a fascinating encounter, and I thought it was pretty evenly matched.

That’s not to disparage Scott; it is the highest possible praise that one can confer on young John McGinn.

Brendan said that it was no contest; he’s wrong. It was a contest, and that’s why I’ve long been urging him to get the chequebook out and go and get this young lad. Hibs will make us bleed for him, but it’ll be worth it. Otherwise this is one of those players we’ll be watching in five years, strutting his stuff in England. Another “one who got away.”

McGinn is headed to the top in the game, it’s that simple and everyone who watches him can see it a mile down the road. He has all the attributes you look for in a ball winning midfielder, and the fact he was so ready to mouth off in the press prior to the game, where he said how much he was looking forward to the contest, speaks volumes.

This wasn’t some mouthy sod like Barton, who was hiding at Celtic Park on the day of his own only encounter with Scott from the first minute to last; McGinn has gone head-to-head with Scott before and feels game enough not to be in the least intimidated by him. I like that. Brendan is standing up for his captain, I get it, but when he said McGinn has “a long way to go to reach that level” I think he’s dead wrong. McGinn is not far away at all.

Their battle was intense, and although I think Scott edged it over the course of the game that comes down to his superior experience more than anything else. John McGinn is, to put it bluntly, the best natural replacement for our captain that I can think of.

I suspect Brendan knows what his worth is. I just wonder if it’s a move he would make whilst Scott is still playing in the first team. I know this; if we don’t do it someone else will, and then John McGinn will forever be one of those “what might have been” tales we tell ourselves, such as with James McCarthy, the last die-hard Celtic man to slip away to England.

McGinn will play at that level. I hope it’s in our club shirt.

 

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