Inside John McGinn's rise from 'raw' Hibs talent to Scotland hero who led Aston Villa into Champions League

When Kevin Thomson crossed paths with John McGinn at Easter Road, their careers were heading in opposite directions.

It was 2016 and the former Rangers and Scotland midfield ace had just signed up for a third and final spell at Hibs as his playing career dwindled to a close. While Thommo was trajecting downwards, the only way was up for McGinn. He would go on to play a starring role in the Leith outfit’s long-awaited Scottish Cup triumph later that year before switching to Aston Villa in 2018. The 29-year-old is now captain of a team flying high in the Premier League having qualified for the Champions League under Unai Emery.

He’ll be hoping to hit further heights over the next couple of weeks as Steve Clarke ’s Scotland aim to soar into the Euro 2024 knockout stages. And Thomson reckons it will take years yet before his old team-mate starts his descent back to earth. He said: “When I went back to Hibs in 2016, John was there with Alan Stubbs.

"He’s a top, top player but back then I didn’t think he’d have gone on to achieve everything he’s achieved. That’s just because he was young, raw. Hibs were in the Championship at the time.

“But he then helped Hibs win the Scottish Cup and you then saw that debate about whether he could play for Celtic or Rangers. Since then though, he’s surpassed everybody’s expectations. He deserves everything he gets because he’s the modern-day street football bull in the centre of the pitch. He’s unique. He maybe doesn’t have the finesse of a Pedro Mendes or a Barry Ferguson, to name two lads I played with.

“But when it comes to hustle and bustle, box to box, he’s incredible. The thing that stands out is just how powerful he is. He’s so strong.

“Did he ever ask my advice? Nah, but I like to think about how you train, how you perform rubs off. Ok, I was maybe a bit inconsistent at that time because I was on the way down, rather than the way up.

“What age is John, 29? The one thing that will hold a midfielder back is when you start to lose your mobility. But I’m sure John’s got three or four years left at least.

“He’s good enough now to adapt his game if he wants to drop back behind the ball and play as a No.6. He can only get better. His brain will continue to evolve and he’ll be right at the forefront of anything Villa and Scotland do for the next few years.”

Thomson didn’t make much of McGinn’s dancing feet after he was dragged up on stage during the welcoming reception staged for Steve Clarke’s side at their tournament base in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. But he’s a big fan of the way the former St Mirren ace has improved his timing around the box.

“That just sums him up,” laughed Thomson as he watched the viral clip back of McGinn spinning around in traditional Bavarian headwear. "His foot movement, I’ve seen him do that same step going through ladders in the plyometric sessions at training. Now you realise why he’s got two left feet!

“But I like the fact he’s scoring more now than his early days. I wouldn’t put him in the same bracket but he’s got that kind of Frank Lampard thing of knowing when to arrive in the box.

“He’s so powerful but he’s also got the quality. And his left peg is an absolute hammer too. I know he’ll never score the number of goals Frank did but I just think whatever role you ask him to do, he’ll do a great job.

“You could play him at left-back, centre-back, he’d do brilliantly. Ask him to play at No.9 and he’d get a hold of the ball for the team. He’s a talented player with such great physical attributes. Combine that with his game knowledge and he could do a turn in any position.”

Clarke will have a tough job deciding who lines up alongside McGinn in midfield. Thomson just wishes the Scots gaffer had the same dilemma in the other areas of his team. He said: “When you think of the talent in there, it must give Steve sleepless nights trying to work out who to pick.

“You’ve got Callum McGregor, John, Scott McTominay, wee Billy Gilmour and then add in Ryan Christie, who’s a top player too. They’ve all got different qualities, which is a good thing. It would be brilliant if we had that in all the other positions.”

● Kevin Thomson was promoting the Refugee World Cup Scotland 2024 tournament on Sunday, June 23 at Toryglen Regional Football Centre. The event celebrates the diversity of communities in Scotland through football while standing up for the rights of refugees.