Chris Kamara is no stranger to watching world class footballers every week in the Premier League through his work with Sky Sports.
But it was former Republic of Ireland international John Giles who caught the pundit’s eye and imagination during his playing days with Leeds United.
The Sky Sports man was in Dublin ahead of Friday’s season opener between Manchester United and Leicester City at Old Trafford.
Paul Pogba is the man pulling the strings in midfield for the Red Devils these days but Kamara directed his praised towards a legend of the game in the form of Giles.
“Johnny Giles was my hero when I was a kid,” Kamara told OTB.
“I played for a Sunday league team when I was 15 in a men’s league. I had been to support Middlesbrough occasionally and my manager had season tickets at Leeds.
“He took me to Elland Road and I saw this footballer in midfield. My favourite player at Middlesbrough was a small midfielder from Northern Ireland called Eric McMordie.
“But when I saw Johnny Giles at the next level up – it was just amazing. And everyone was Billy Bremner, Allan Clarke, Peter Lorimer and Eddie Gray fans.
“Not only was [John Giles] strong but he could see a pass that was in another world – the vision – and he would land it on a sixpence for the players in front of him.
“And Billy was his little combative midfield player alongside him but Johnny had that vision and passing ability that was something else. He could see in the dark.
“He was my all-time favourite domestic player but I would have to say Pele was my favourite player. I got an opportunity two years ago for a programme on SkySports called Heroes.
“The producer said: ‘I’ve been reading your book and saw Johnny Giles was your hero. Can you do Heroes with him? But it’s in two weeks’.
“And I said: ‘No, no, I’ve got loads of work on. Give me more notice and I can do it’. But now the programme has stopped on SkySports.
“Everyone talks about Leeds giving Eric Cantona to Manchester United [but] Manchester United gave Johnny Giles to Leeds United.”
James Hopper
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