This man, Paul McGrath, is probably the best central defender ever to have played in the Premier League. I know that there have been other top defenders since then - John Terry, Virgil Van Dijk, Vincent Kompany, Martin Keown, Jaap Stam, Tony Adams, Rio Ferdinand…. But the fact is that Paul McGrath remains head and shoulders over all of them. We may never see his like again.
A very good post until you got to Martin Keown & VVD....Really? 🤣🤣 McGrath is the best CH I've seen in my lifetime. I genuinely think he was better than Stam and Dessailly. Ask Ian Rush why he didn't score v Man United in years of trying until McGrath left the club!
One of the greats McGrath. A truly brilliant Centre Half despite a host of personal issues. God knows what his price tag would be now if he was in his pomp
McGrath was brilliant throughout, it was fantastic the way he leapt across Cantona to take the ball in mid-air without fouling him. In such a situation you would usually expect the defender to either not react in time or to slide dangerously in and injure the opponent and concede a penalty, but McGrath took the ball cleanly in flight. On Man Utd's side I was more impressed with Hughes in this footage than Cantona, the Welshman was very good in his all-round play. Good at playing a quick first time pass, and such a fine striker of the ball. That last chance he had took a great save to deny him by the keeper.
Yeah think I rewinded and watched that tackle at least three times. A thing of beauty. McGrath always pulled off those jaw dropping moments of intuitive defending quite regularly and effortlessly at that too! One of my favorite defenders ever, he made it look so easy and natural. Hughes had a good game like you mentioned, and looked threatening throughout the match. Cantona wasn't at the races but had his moments in this game. Needless to say, Keane was excellent as usual. Aston Villa played really well and deserved the win.
I remember my father pointing out how little Paul actually ran on the field. He just seemed to know where the ball was going to be long before it was played in. You cant teach instinct. Hope you are well Paul.
Ireland's 2nd best ever player behind Keane. I can't praise him any more than that. Just ask Ian Rush why he couldn't find the back of the net v United while McGrath was @ Old Trafford 👍
Keane had a lot more successful club career for sure but McGrath is a World Cup legend and he was irreplacable in Ireland's best ever team. McGrath was more versatile. He was one of the best CBs in his era but he could play as a defensive midfielder, too. To me he's the greatest Irish footballer ever. He is a lot more likeable and a selfless person as well.
@@dimmykarras9287 I agree with a lot of what you say and you have a good argument as to why you feel McGrath was Ireland's best ever player. Keane was also extremely versatile as he proved in CL games playing at Centre Back and winning the MOTM award. He started off as an attacking midfielder and ended up as a defensive midfielder. I also believe strongly that Ireland would have done really well in 2002 if they had had a decent manager, instead of the weak and limited Mick McCarthy. That argument will rage on forever, but whatever is said about the rights and wrongs of the argument McCarthy was guilty of a lack of preparation for the WC, not standing up for the players against the FAI and not following through on his commitments after meeting with Keane prior to the competition! I also love Keane as a person. Straight talking, no B/S with a fantastic sense of humour. Much as I like McGrath I'd rather have a pint with Keano, although having a pint with both of them would be ever better 🍺 👍
@@Macca-rb5okEasy now, McGrath went AWOL a couple of times before international qualifiers as he’s been on a bender. He once rang Jack Charlton saying he’d ended up in Israel.
@@Macca-rb5okYou obviously don't know your football then. Go do some research about McGrath's going awol when he was supposed to be preparing for Ireland games! So YES he did let his country down but Big Jack would let him off with a 1 game ban or something small, rather than being extreme. Secondly it was plastic paddy Thick McCarthy who let Ireland down by cowing down to the FAI and treating his players like mugs!!!
Wow...I never got to see this game as I was living abroad, so I've just heard comments about it. My God McGrath was everywhere; along with Liam Brady he was the finest player to grace the field in Irish shirt, end of story. Sorry, Roy Keane had too much of a dirty, malicious side to his play, so for me the latter two make a better claim to the "best Irish player to date." Apologies for any offence caused to Man U. fans, but that's the way I see it....
Keane's our finest ever player, but McGrath is so, so close behind him. Brady had talent, but wasn't consistent enough and didn't always have an end result. We've had quite a few better than Brady imo.
I think McGrath is better than Moore. For me McGrath is the 2nd best Irish player I've seen behind Keane who was just phenomenal. Moore was also very good but wouldn't have captained England if Edwards wasn't killed in 1958.
Roy keane was a very good footballer but he was not world class lucky to have played in such a good team you could have replaced him with most defensive midfielders at that time and utd would still have been as successful Paul mcgrath was an exceptional footballer truely world class and irelands finest ever
![Gabriel Batistuta will never forget Ryan Giggs performance in this match [English commentary]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/aGrUm8eo-GA/mqdefault.jpg)
This man, Paul McGrath, is probably the best central defender ever to have played in the Premier League. I know that there have been other top defenders since then - John Terry, Virgil Van Dijk, Vincent Kompany, Martin Keown, Jaap Stam, Tony Adams, Rio Ferdinand…. But the fact is that Paul McGrath remains head and shoulders over all of them. We may never see his like again.
A very good post until you got to Martin Keown & VVD....Really? 🤣🤣 McGrath is the best CH I've seen in my lifetime. I genuinely think he was better than Stam and Dessailly. Ask Ian Rush why he didn't score v Man United in years of trying until McGrath left the club!
@@KryptonitetoallBS : Exactly the point that I made…🙄
One of the greats McGrath. A truly brilliant Centre Half despite a host of personal issues. God knows what his price tag would be now if he was in his pomp
Who is he
As an Irishman I look back and see that in that game alone we had McGrath, Staunton, Townsend, Irwin and Keane! How we could do with that quality now.
Not a coincidence United have been utter shite with no Irishmen.
Absolute nonsense @@icemanire5467
Any young kid who is a defender should watch this video & learn from the Master Paul Mcgrath, what a great defender
Criminally underrated.
McGrath was brilliant throughout, it was fantastic the way he leapt across Cantona to take the ball in mid-air without fouling him. In such a situation you would usually expect the defender to either not react in time or to slide dangerously in and injure the opponent and concede a penalty, but McGrath took the ball cleanly in flight. On Man Utd's side I was more impressed with Hughes in this footage than Cantona, the Welshman was very good in his all-round play. Good at playing a quick first time pass, and such a fine striker of the ball. That last chance he had took a great save to deny him by the keeper.
Yeah think I rewinded and watched that tackle at least three times. A thing of beauty. McGrath always pulled off those jaw dropping moments of intuitive defending quite regularly and effortlessly at that too! One of my favorite defenders ever, he made it look so easy and natural.
Hughes had a good game like you mentioned, and looked threatening throughout the match. Cantona wasn't at the races but had his moments in this game. Needless to say, Keane was excellent as usual. Aston Villa played really well and deserved the win.
Hughes was a better player than Cantona
He was also great against italy in the world cup 94
Had Baggio in his pocket.
That's a quality only the true greats have, "Anticipation" .
I remember my father pointing out how little Paul actually ran on the field. He just seemed to know where the ball was going to be long before it was played in. You cant teach instinct. Hope you are well Paul.
O ya !!!
I love both of these players on and off the pitch!! Thanks! 🙏🏻
You are welcome!
He played with Ireland as well ...I love u pauli the Pats finest❤
Thanks
Would it have killed the creator to show any of the villa goals?
Love your content!!
Thanks for posting, by the way.😀
All time great let alone villa. God
Ireland's best ever player
Ireland's 2nd best ever player behind Keane. I can't praise him any more than that. Just ask Ian Rush why he couldn't find the back of the net v United while McGrath was @ Old Trafford 👍
Keane had a lot more successful club career for sure but McGrath is a World Cup legend and he was irreplacable in Ireland's best ever team. McGrath was more versatile. He was one of the best CBs in his era but he could play as a defensive midfielder, too.
To me he's the greatest Irish footballer ever. He is a lot more likeable and a selfless person as well.
@@dimmykarras9287 I agree with a lot of what you say and you have a good argument as to why you feel McGrath was Ireland's best ever player. Keane was also extremely versatile as he proved in CL games playing at Centre Back and winning the MOTM award. He started off as an attacking midfielder and ended up as a defensive midfielder. I also believe strongly that Ireland would have done really well in 2002 if they had had a decent manager, instead of the weak and limited Mick McCarthy. That argument will rage on forever, but whatever is said about the rights and wrongs of the argument McCarthy was guilty of a lack of preparation for the WC, not standing up for the players against the FAI and not following through on his commitments after meeting with Keane prior to the competition! I also love Keane as a person. Straight talking, no B/S with a fantastic sense of humour. Much as I like McGrath I'd rather have a pint with Keano, although having a pint with both of them would be ever better 🍺 👍
@@KryptonitetoallBS McGrath was a million times the player Keane was...and unlike Keane, McGrath NEVER would let his country down.
@@Macca-rb5okEasy now, McGrath went AWOL a couple of times before international qualifiers as he’s been on a bender. He once rang Jack Charlton saying he’d ended up in Israel.
@@Macca-rb5okYou obviously don't know your football then. Go do some research about McGrath's going awol when he was supposed to be preparing for Ireland games! So YES he did let his country down but Big Jack would let him off with a 1 game ban or something small, rather than being extreme. Secondly it was plastic paddy Thick McCarthy who let Ireland down by cowing down to the FAI and treating his players like mugs!!!
We never saw the goals....what happened?
Some serious hoofball from Man U here. And McGrath soaks it all up.
Always an immense pleasure to see Man U lose any game.
when i was a little kid, McGrath was considered top 3 in the world.. made it look easy.. it's not.
Like baggio a few months later ooh aah had Eric in his pocket
Wow...I never got to see this game as I was living abroad, so I've just heard comments about it. My God McGrath was everywhere; along with Liam Brady he was the finest player to grace the field in Irish shirt, end of story. Sorry, Roy Keane had too much of a dirty, malicious side to his play, so for me the latter two make a better claim to the "best Irish player to date." Apologies for any offence caused to Man U. fans, but that's the way I see it....
Johnny giles, that is all.
Billy Whelan was destined but for the plane crash, ahead of his time, more of a midfielder who scored goals for fun
Keane's our finest ever player, but McGrath is so, so close behind him. Brady had talent, but wasn't consistent enough and didn't always have an end result. We've had quite a few better than Brady imo.
McGrath (at Villa) became a truly world class footballer...Cantona was very good but not a player of world class level.
You don't half talk some P**h pal. Let me guess you support Liverpool 🤣🤣🤣
Second finest British defender after Moore
He's irish, but I'd agree.
I think McGrath is better than Moore. For me McGrath is the 2nd best Irish player I've seen behind Keane who was just phenomenal. Moore was also very good but wouldn't have captained England if Edwards wasn't killed in 1958.
Roy keane was a very good footballer but he was not world class lucky to have played in such a good team you could have replaced him with most defensive midfielders at that time and utd would still have been as successful Paul mcgrath was an exceptional footballer truely world class and irelands finest ever
Ooh ah Paul McGrath, Ooh ah Paul McGrath! 🇮🇪
UTFV