World Class Villa Players

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Baresi asked McGrath for his shirt after the game. I cannot think of a single defensive display that stands out after such an elapse of time, for a team that I don't support like that. The best number 10 in the world, inside God's pocket.

[avfcdale]

Little, gray, rimmer, morley, shaw, platt, mc grath, laursen covers it for me

[thick_mike]

Little, gray, rimmer, morley, shaw, platt, mc grath, laursen covers it for me

I was going to say Jimmy Rimmer earlier, he was outstanding in the early 80s. That’s why Spink’s performance in the European Cup final was so amazing. We thought our hopes had gone because one of our best players had gone off so early.

Not sure there were many in front of him in the world at the time.

[rob_bridge]

McGrath put in the single greatest defensive performance I think I will ever see against italy in 94.  I was 14 and football was my life at the time and it was the only time that a defensive performance by anyone genuinely blew me away.

My definition of world class is a player who just looks like they're totally in control and god made a career of that.

It was so good he made Phil Babb look great.

That was the real thing with McGrath practically all his partners looked much better than they actually were and/or by playing with them he helped them become much better - Moran, Mountfield, Neilsen, Teale, Southgate, Ugo, Babb. All had their merits but his influence pushed them up a notch or two IMO.

[OzVilla]

There's a you tube somewhere of McGrath performance against Italy, it's worth a marvel at. I recall watching the game in a pub in Alvechurch, even the Noses were in awe.

[PeterWithe]

Wasn’t Alpay picked as the centre half for the team of the WC he played in?

I saw the end of the league winning team as it was being broken up, for me the world class players have already been mentioned. McGrath and Yorke certainly, Platt probably. Sid wasn’t helped by having press favourite Hoddle tending to get picked ahead of him for England.

[Chico Hamilton III]

McGrath put in the single greatest defensive performance I think I will ever see against italy in 94.  I was 14 and football was my life at the time and it was the only time that a defensive performance by anyone genuinely blew me away.

My definition of world class is a player who just looks like they're totally in control and god made a career of that.

I went to the Ireland v Holland game in Florida at the 94 World Cup (when Packie Bonner made a howler for the Dutch second goal) Staunton, Townsend, Houghton were playing and McGrath scored but it was disallowed and I didn't realise and went on to make a tit of myself for a couple of minutes, singing oohh-aahh Paul McGrath until someone pointed out that it wasn't a goal. Hottest game I've ever been to, which might explain why I'd necked so much beer.

As much as I hero worshipped Little, Cowans, Rimmer etc, McGrath must surely be the one truly world class player we've had?

[rob_bridge]

McGrath put in the single greatest defensive performance I think I will ever see against italy in 94.  I was 14 and football was my life at the time and it was the only time that a defensive performance by anyone genuinely blew me away.

My definition of world class is a player who just looks like they're totally in control and god made a career of that.

I went to the Ireland v Holland game in Florida at the 94 World Cup (when Packie Bonner made a howler for the Dutch second goal) Staunton, Townsend, Houghton were playing and McGrath scored but it was disallowed and I didn't realise and went on to make a tit of myself for a couple of minutes, singing oohh-aahh Paul McGrath until someone pointed out that it wasn't a goal. Hottest game I've ever been to, which might explain why I'd necked so much beer.

As much as I hero worshipped Little, Cowans, Rimmer etc, McGrath must surely be the one truly world class player we've had?

Agree, and remember he could have been even better.

[Chris Jameson]

I can remember Gordon Strachan when he was the manager at Coventry saying how the words world class get used an awful lot but whilst they are very good players they fall short of that, but he said Dwight Yorke undoubtedly qualified.

[Mister E]

When you see threads like this you realise that history has treated Gordon Cowans kindly. He was a very good player and he had great moments. Had he not broken his leg he might have been great. But he was a bit short of world-class.

Hmmm; he was pretty classy, on a par if not better than Glenn H who won 53 full England caps (admittednly, at a time when England were not exactly wowing the world). He played for an unfashionable club which - even when it won the league - managed to only get a couple of England players.

[Tayls_7]

I haven't had the time to thoroughly scour this topic but in case he's been omitted; Luc Nillis, unequivocally world class.

[Pat McMahon]

I haven't had the time to thoroughly scour this topic but in case he's been omitted; Luc Nillis, unequivocally world class.

I never saw him play so can't judge him. A Belgian mate reckoned he was sublime for PSV but average for Belgium - it took him about 20 games to score his first international goal. Funnily enough said Belgian mate got me a cheap pair of boots from Belgium when we played football together in Paris in the 1990s - endorsed by Luc Nilis!

[class-of-82]

I'm sure a few of the Liverpool European cup winning team of 1977 was considered world class

if that's the case then after 45 minutes of alex cropley at villa park against them would put him head and shoulders above them.
definitely world class

[Rotterdam]

McGrath and Platt.

[Damo70]

It is worth remembering that from the Coca Cola Cup final win and his performance against United up to the World Cup and that performance against Italy Paul McGrath was basically playing with the use of just one arm do to a bad infection. Only he could put in a performance so great it is still talked about over twenty years later whilst having just one useful arm and basically no knees left.