Tribute to Paul McGrath
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- I felt it was a real shame that there was no tribute video to the legendary Irish defender Paul McGrath so I took the liberty of creating one. I hope I've done the great man justice.
It features quotes from those in the game on McGrath's talent, footage from his days at Manchester United and Aston Villa, as well as highlights from his game against Italy in the 1994 World Cup, a performance often described as perhaps the finest by an Irish player. Not many people can say they had Roberto Baggio in their pocket but Big Paul McGrath can.
Enjoy.
thanks everyone for your comments im speaking on behalf of my dad BIG PAUL, i showed him the video and he was very happy that people still admire his skill. thanks. jordan M
Greatest
Brilliant player
Your da is a legend I was only a kid when he played for Ireland but watched many videos give him my best wishes
An argument could be made for him to play centre half in any team in history, a wonderful football player, brave, committed, athletic with a brain like Linus Pauling and universally beloved. I watched him boss the defence against Italy as a 16 year old at St Joseph’s social club in Wembley at the ‘94 World Cup when he had Baggio, the best player in the world in his pocket the whole game. The word Legend simply doesn’t cover it, please give him my very best!
I'm a Villa man but Mr McGrath deserves lifelong acclaim!
I'm only 29 years old and it saddens me to think that I've already witnessed the best player that I will ever see play the game.
Reached another level at Aston Villa - on his day the best defender in the world.
@@laoch5658 so good you tried to make him retire.
As an Aston Villa fan, by far and away the greatest player I've ever had the privilege to watch.
The best defender ever to wear the green shirt. A man mountain. All the best big man.☘️🍀💚
Big Paul's performance v Italy in the world cup was the best defensive performance in history.
When I was young he was my hero. 30 years down the track and he's still my hero. Living Legend.
Legend, better pissed than other world class players are when they are sober!!!
ufewi..That is a funny and accurate comment..
Lol
Brilliant Paul. Have watched it 609 times now, and cried 608.
Didnt Baggio say he was the best defender he ever played against. Proud to say he presented me with a player of the year trophy.
Same with Ian Rush. What a compliment.
Good man on pofy award pal what a man hand trophy for that
I believe Baggio said it in his Biography
Baresi asked for his shirt after the ‘94 game
Well done Gerry great tribute. U forgot to mention though Ronald Koemans asessment of McGrath. He said he was in awe of McGrath, and when he found out that Paul couldnt train during the week due to is knees he couldn't believe it. Paul McGrath is one of the very best this Island has ever produced.
Thanks for that. I am reading his autobiography and when you know what the man has been through it makes him an even greater player. Unlikely we will see his like ever again.
Excellent.
I remember at Italia 90 when big Jack played him in centre midfield because "he was too good a player to be a centre-half". How many players now have the ability to play in a different position and get to a world cup quarter final?
He then made Phil Babb look so good at USA 94 Liverpool paid a (then) fortune for him.
... and he was related to Nelson Mandela ;-) - www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/mary-mcaleese-my-daughter-triggered-the-paul-mcgrath-chant-at-mandelas-visit-251898.html
Joe G Kearns Cracking read
Joe G Kearns autobiography worth a read?
Absolute legend, he had everything as a defender, pace, strength, reading game, and great in the air or on ground.
Thing was, he was able to perform like that with a dodgy knee, (to point where he trained separately from most of team) and his off-field problems, God knows how good he would have been had got proper help for both.
Still watching this in 2023 my hero wished me a happy birthday 3 times met him in 2016 topman
His reading of the game was the best ive ever seen. His up there with the best defenders in premier league history..
Absolutely.24ct highest quality!.Against Italy and Norway (world cup 94)the best player on the field and that was a quality filled Italian team.
It's sometimes difficult(for me anyway) to pick out what exactly was his best quality(he ticked all of the boxes)But I think Paul had the ability to raise his game no matter what the opposition and who he was up against.
In today's football,Ronaldo or Messi might have a decent game,but mostly would be nullified and kept quite,and all this done in "Big Paul's"calm,no nonsense self effacing manner!!
Now I know the Millenials might ob🍀ject to this image of their modern day idols,but i'm sorry,because it's the honest to goodness truth!🍀🍀🍀
Best for me ever slightly ahead maldini
@@jerryoshea3116 true he had many qualities bit his dedication to defend was top be header block closing down passing lane always in right place. 1st year villa player of year true inner strength but flawed and doughted himself so much bit that why i respect him so much
@@Ralaacj I love Paul mcgrath I'm a Irishman so absolutely love Paul,
But come on he wasn't better than Maldini, think of the great Italian defenders of Paul's generation Maldini, baresi, costacurta, tardelli, and nesta and cannavaro a few years after who went on to win the world cup with that great Italian national team in 2006
built on there unbelievable defensive partnership of nesta and cannavaro
I love Paul but I think personally the best defender of Paul's generation was Franco baresi
@@ggmm6182 they are all great paul would of being able to play beside all them great players and not look outta place and playing beside players that quality would of brought out to another level its personal choice man peace & bliss
Yeah, I read the autobiography too, not one hint of self-promotion throughout.
Absolute gent and what a performer, no matter what shape his life was in off the pitch, he never failed to deliver on it.......
Thanks for the tribute
Words don't do the big humble man justice.
The Black Pearl of Inchicore. You're a legend Paul the most natural player you'll ever see.
The current Villa team NEED someone like Paul. Strong, an outstanding defensive awareness and vision and able to lead the team within moments of darkness. True and classic centre-half
Great post gerry.
The guy is without doubt a legend on the field in any pub conversation. When you add the fact he had problems with the drink and his knees .... no words can describe how he did it and what he meant to us Villans.
Great soundtrack too, it really speaks out with the ups and downs that he went through in his career.
I'm reading his book now too.. only a few chapterts left. What a story. He had such a story to tell if anyone hasn't read it.. get it. Its the best autobiography I ever read and everyone i know says the same who read it.
You probably shouldn't have heroes when you get older, but I'm 28 and when I grow up I wanna be Paul McGrath!! His talent and dedication in any jersey is what kids should be shown, not diving whinging fakes.
a legend a gent and an irish hero!
mcgraths v italy in 1994 world cup was the best defensive performance ive ever seen
My young boy is 10yrs old and a fairly handy little footballer,,i always tell him to look at as many clips of Paul McGrath as he can find.....along with keano & Liam Brady..the best irish footballers of all time....and maybe above all that,,,a humble gentleman...God bless you Paul.and thankyou for so many great memories..
My hero. The best centre back there ever was. Paul McGrath, the word legend isn't big enough to describe what a fantastic footballer you really were and genuinely nice you still are.
Young players should be made to watch this. They all want to be heros but it's nice to see a great defender being put up there as a hero.
1 of the only men to win man of the match awards while drunk on the pitch... what a hero
Just finished reading his autobiography.....was a bit young to have seen him playing that much but what a sad, heroic and amazing life he led. He may have had his troubles off the field but on the fields he was hero to not only the fans but his fellow players also. A brilliant piece of video, fair play GerryD.
Unbelievable player.
Best centre-back/defender full-stop, and one of the best players, if not the best, i ever saw play.
Could've played anywhere on the pitch and been equally dominant; literally, had everything.
I was lucky enough to have seen him play towards the end of his career and what a player he was. I read his book about 12 months ago and it just made me like him even more, he's 'real'. Nice vid mate, Macca, what a legend!!! Grand, as he'd say.
pure legend.,nobody could touch him
paul was the best irish player ever to play the game. i just finished reading his book and to do what he did in football after all he went through shows you the greatness of the man. ill never forget his performance against italy in the 94 world cup. i hope he can stay off the drink and have a happy long life that he desrves.
Still to this day villas God I'm just glad I got to see him play Paul mcgrath my lord
I'm a QPR supporter and I have seen all this world cup stuff about McGrath - but I saw him live in 5 games home and away against QPR and I have never seen a better centre half .... he could read a game like no other that I have seen live
my best united centre half i have watched world class
the black pearl of Inchicore.....great man
Always a hero at Villa Park. Quite possibly the best defender that I've ever seen - no! Definitely the best defender that I've ever seen! Sod it! The best bloody footballer that I've ever seen! They come no better than God!
the best defender i have ever seen,he always played for the opposition,bloke is a legend
Met him as I was walking out of landsdowne road after an ireland match a few years ago(think it was stauntons first match against sweden),shook his hand,absolute gent and the best Irish player ever,im reading his book at the moment too and it's brilliant!
Great video, met Paul a few years ago, an absolute gent and an incredible footballer!!
Met him in 2016 he's a out and out gentleman wished me a happy birthday in May 2016 he's a class act on and off the pitch hero
Could be argued, the best player to ever pull on the green shirt. Absolutely tremendous and was the reason Phil Babb got his move to Liverpool.
Paul McGrath was like brilliant chess player - his mind was always operating two steps ahead. He could read the game so well. Legend.
I had the privilege to stand on the Holte End Villa Park and watch this amazing legend play for seven years. I also educated my four sons on how great this player was. God is to small a word to describe the brilliance of this Aston Villa legend.🏐🟣🔵💜💙
He was my favorite ever player he was fantastic I so enjoyed seeing him play on tv
God bless you Always Paul 🙏🇮🇪
Im from Mallorca and I was working in a hotel during my school holidays in 1986. And I met him. I have to say that even Ive always been a keen fan of British and Irish football (I used to buy "shoot" or "match" every week, even when my English was very poor, more than nowadays haha, cause at school I learnt French) I didnt know him, he was not a regular in 86. Paul and his family spent 2 weeks there. He was very kind. I remember one day asking me to paly one of his tapes by Madness in the hotel.
Tony suau.A trually amazingly Talented world class footballer..Whoever he played against,never looked out of hs depth..And he faced sum of the best...
Ur English easily passed the Test..Great memory..He was the Man..Only Franco Barasi could have given him a run for his Money..I watched a Vid recently of him playing in a Competitive Match he was up against Maradona&Paulo Futre playing for the Rest of the World."Big Paul"dominated two a strikeforcd consisting of these two..with ease!!
What an absolute supremeo of a defender wish I could of watched him play live on Tv back in the day when he played for man utd and Ireland
Fergie always said that talent wise there was nobody better, ask any United supporter who saw him play and they will say the same. He's an absolut giant of the game and had it not been for his drinking would have gone on to be United's Baresi. His talent deserved more than ending up at Villa. No offense to Villa but it's true, Even today he remains a United great and always will be.
he was a fantastic tackler too.. not many clips of it but i remember a few one on ones that he took control of with ease.. amazing player.. great man
what a hero to ireland, what a player, had such an understated look about him when he played
I really feel for this guy... being adopted, I was blessed to avoid ending up in a series of Church run homes like Paul, and with him being what they used to call 'half caste', I'd say he really had a rough time. That he emerged from it like he did was wonderful. I think I heard him talking once about his mam coming to visit him once a year, no Christmas presents or real love growing up... no wonder he's had problems since. I have nothing but respect for the man.
Incredible..What a player!!!!!!
An absolute legend, gentleman and great player.
Ya it was fantastic,i never have in my lifetime seen the like,Italian players all went over to shake his hand after the game .
But what a legend and a gent of a man and regardless of his problems off the field the man will always be a legend and a hero to me.
I can see Sean St Ledger being the next Paul McGrath, during the algeria game the lad picked up everything
Paul McGrath would would walk into ANY football team in ANY era in ANY league in the world. The greatest Irish player ever.
That game againt Italy in the US he was unbelievable .... his book is great.
World class.
Ireland still needs someone of Paul's quality, was never replaced
Shane duffy easily better
Outstanding tribute to an outstanding player.Paul McG would have graced any team in any era.Watched him regularly until Fergie had to choose between Bryan Robson, Paul Mc and "nutty Norman" Whiteside.
It's also easy to forget that Paul was no slouch in midfield!! You sense that he probably didn't really know how good he was.All achieved half cut and only able to train on a gym bike.
Hopefully he now has a more peaceful and calmer life.Just think Man City paid £24m for Lescott!!!
a humble man....best Irish footballer ever for me
a really true footballing warrior. i've just read his book, its a great read, brutally honest. being a Celtic fan i was amazed that he nearly signed for celtic a couple of times. He would have been adored by the Celtic fans............ infact he is anyway,
Paul McGrath and Frank Stapleton were 2 of my favs in Man U
Awh I loved Paul mc Grath when he played for Ireland had a picture of Paul and the rest of the team on my wall, ooh ah Paul Mc Grath great memories love from Ireland 🇮🇪 we will always be part of Jackie's army 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
I never saw a man to play as 'three' players ever. This game I saw. If Paul Mc Grath wasn't playing that day , Ireland may have lost 4-1.
In 50 years time will still be named as number 5 in an irelands best ever 11. Scrap that he will have that shirt in a 100 years time
he was an amazing player. For every irish Man, Woman and child he was a hero.
A lovely tribute, great man, and a genius to boot!
I met him yesterday!
What a legend!! Paul you mean so much to so many!! Villa 'till i die
@RonnieStretchMorgan Awfully depressing book, but it shows the true character of the man and his pure....legendness to put his body through what he did for nation and club. Met the man on Abbey St in 98 during World Cup after the Italy/USA match, my favourite picture ever. In the name of the Father, the Son, and Paul McGrath. Amen
Best Villa player ever! Best centre half from these islands in my lifetime by a mile. The afternoon he had Baggio in his pocket in NY, the day he kept that whinging Andy Gray in his pocket at Wembley. Oh and the day he kept Cantona very quiet in 1994 even the Old Bugger himself had to congratulate the Big Lad on that one.
And an oft forgotten one from his midfield days - the night in Turin (c1984) when he and Whiteside helped run Juventus (Europe's strongest team) ragged in one half.
No exaggeration to say he was world class. If he was Brazilian instead of Irish, every child in the world would know his name
without a doubt, he was the worlds greatest ever defender!! Imagine how amazing he would have been if he was able to train??
The best players make the game look so simple, Paul Scholes is another example. But everyone else on the pitch knows how important doing those simple things well are.
An excellent tribute..Congrats.
He'd be worth the exact same as he was when he played .......PRICELESS..A NATIONAL TREASURE.
great tribute to a true legend
A very nice man aswell as one of irelands greatest footballers
I don't have many heros in my life but undertaker sean og o hailpin bret hart roy keane stone cold steve austin sting mike tyson dennis irwin paul o connell sinead o Connor but paul mcgrath will always have special place in my heart all time irish great
my hero growing up uh ah Paul mcgrath we say uh ah paul mcgrath!!! legend big man
the black pearl of inchicore
Paul McGrath is beyound a god
One of the best defenders ever! If he didn't have that notorious alcohol problem, and if he was as fit as an average footballer, then in my mind he would of been the best defender ever!
Libertybhoy..That is a fair assessment..I remember reading after Italia 90 world Cup,the Italians(who had the best players and League at the time)were totally fascinated by hm..They appreciate top class Def/mid players and knew he was sumthing special..Franco Barasi said he was def one of the best Defenders he had played against .That is a Tribute..
My two heros of true irishmen Paul McGrath phil lynott best defender ever best front man ever so underrated in there areas of brilliance
McGrath was a collosus, whoever he played against, he reduced them to anonymity.
Ireland's best ever player they don't make them like him anymore a true LEGEND
Fifa needs to add him to a "Legends List" or at least be honored in the bloody game by EA Sports
brilliant tribute. a top man!
A great football player,a decent bloke never mind his weaknesses paul mc grath is a LEGEND,A TRUE HERO OF IRISH FOOTBALL,
We still chant his name down the Villa thats how good he was.
Joel McGrath Monarch is my son, says it all ❤
Magnificent
One of the greatest of all time...
A true great.
And a villa legend
Super post! I reckon Puyol models himself on PmcG!! Never a better centre half in the premiership. NOT ONE OF THEM!
Great video, long overdue
what a hero, hes needs to come back and show how its dunne :)