Tyrone Mings admits his 15-month England absence was justified

Tyrone Mings has admitted his 15-month international absence was justified after recognising he had stopped doing the basics that made him an England player.

The Aston Villa defender won the last of his 17 caps in a friendly against Ivory Coast in March 2022, completing the scoring in a 3-0 win. At that point, it seemed inconceivable he wouldn’t go to the World Cup but Gareth Southgate then left him out of the four Nations League games last June.

When Mings was subsequently axed from Villa’s opening-day defeat by Bournemouth last August, with then manager Steven Gerrard giving the club captaincy to John McGinn, the 30-year-old was left puzzled as to how his predicament had changed so dramatically.

Gerrard restored Mings to his starting line-up seven days later against Everton and, since then, there has been no looking back. Unai Emery’s arrival at Villa Park has been the catalyst for him to play the best football of his career, winning Southgate back over, but also led to a period of reflection.

‘There always comes a stage in people’s careers where there is a plateau and you are coasting,’ said Mings. ‘These things are sent to test you, aren’t they? The most important thing is how you react.’

Tyrone Mings (left) has admitted that his 15-month absence from the England team was justified

The defender is back in the squad for this month’s games against Malta and North Macedonia

He had too lost his place and the captaincy at Aston Villa, but has improved this year and not looked back

Asked to elaborate what he meant by coasting, Mings replied: ‘You just sometimes need a kick up the backside, don’t you? And that can come in many different ways. Sometimes you ask for it, sometimes it gets delivered.

‘If I look back now and think, “Was I really pushing myself every day to the level where I am right now?” Honestly? Probably not. That was the result of many different things but I certainly wouldn’t change the last 15 months since the last game of last season to where we are now.

‘We went through a poor period. I went through a poor period and now I can sit here and think it’s taught me some very valuable lessons. I find I learn way more in times of uncertainty or disappointment compared to when it is going well.

‘I genuinely believe every experience happens for a reason and even sitting there last summer thinking that I had fallen a long way from where I was, never did I think this was it, or there was no way back. I enjoy every experience I go through even when they are difficult.’

Mings was in good spirits as he held court at St George’s Park. He should get minutes on the pitch when England resume their Euro 2024 qualification campaign in Malta on Friday and put the gloss on a productive period.

There was laughter when he revealed he toasted Villa’s own European qualification, secured with a 2-1 final day win over Brighton, with ‘a bottle of Ribena and bed by 11pm’ — which, to put it mildly, is a little different to how his former club-mate Jack Grealish has unwound since Saturday.

Mings originally had the captaincy stripped by Steven Gerrard, but regained his place in the team

He has 17 caps for his country and is likely to add to that total on Friday against Malta

‘He’s just won the Treble so I don’t think anybody can begrudge him going out and letting those luscious locks of his down now he has taken the hairband out,’ said Mings, with a twinkle in his eyes. ‘He’s had a good few days.’

A good few days, though, are exactly what Mings wants himself with England and he is determined to show just how much of an impact Emery has made on him — the Spaniard has effectively deconstructed all he knew about defending to help him make significant steps forward.

‘I can’t speak highly enough of him,’ said Mings. ‘He basically taught me that I know nothing about the position that I play! But that is exciting.

‘Him coming in has really lifted me and opened my eyes to a whole new way of playing. You should always want to learn.’