Dean Smith backs John McGinn to cope with raised expectation as Aston Villa midfielder nears comeback
Dean Smith has backed John McGinn to handle the expectation on his shoulders when the Villa midfielder makes his much-anticipated return from injury.
McGinn is nearing a comeback after two-and-a-half months out with a fractured ankle with boss Smith hopeful he can boost Villa’s battle against relegation.
The Scot is yet to return to full contact training and Smith has given assurances he will not be rushed back sooner than necessary.
But he conceded the 24-year-old’s influence has been missed. He said: “You are always going to miss players like John, who is a top player.
“I said to the medical staff the other day we have missed his legs and his quality because he gives you the lot.
“So don’t give me him back without his legs and his quality! So when he’s back we’ll bring him back – we won’t bring him back too soon if he’s not right.
“Mentally he can handle anything, without a shadow. Mentally he’s as strong as they come. A really good guy.”
McGinn suffered the injury after flying in to challenge Cedric Soares early in the 3-1 defeat to Southampton.
But Smith does not expect that to have any effect on McGinn’s all-action style of play.
He said: “From what I’ve seen on the training ground so far, no (there won’t be any effect). He’s trying to hit the crossbar from the halfway line as soon as he goes out for training, it’s just his way.”
Monday’s trip to Leicester will come too soon for McGinn though Smith is yet to rule him out of next weekend’s clash with Chelsea.
"We've not had him training in contact sessions yet, he's been involved in possession and shape work,” said the boss. "He's getting to where we want him to be.
"He's had a CT scan on Friday to make sure there's a full union of the fracture but he feels really good which is the important thing.
"He'll be pushing me for Chelsea, that's for sure. Once he gets on that training ground he'll move quickly and he's certainly progressing quickly now."
