Tyrone Mings believes “something is changing” at Aston Villa following the club’s remarkable turnaround under Unai Emery. The head coach masterminded Villa’s return to European football having taken 49 points from just 25 Premier League matches in charge following his appointment last October (W15 D4 L6). Villa sealed their place in the Europa Conference League play-off thanks to a 2-1 victory over Brighton at a raucous Villa Park – and Mings says it’s the start of something very exciting heading into next season.
Tyrone Mings said: “The next step is playing European football and juggling a Premier League season. That is the next step, which will be difficult in itself, the travel, the games, the level of expectation. But every time you set foot on the pitch at this club something is different, something is changing. I don’t think I have ever been here in a period of calmness. That is what you want in football. You want things to keep changing and the goalposts to change. You want success and as the manager kept saying through the final months of the season, every game we win is giving us another opportunity to finish higher in the table. If we could go to the final game of the season with it in our hands, that is what we did. But I think the club is changing both on and off the pitch, week by week. It has been like that since I came here in January 2019. It is a great club to be part of and I have loved my time here so far. I am really excited and proud to be part of what we are doing.”
Mings, in the form of his life right now, also explained how his centre-back role is so simple that his 51-year-old manager, a former left-winger back in the day, could even slot in next to Ezri Konsa.
Tyrone Mings said: “My role, under [Emery], is so simple he could probably play it himself. He makes things so simple and the expectation of what is expected is crystal clear. I am really enjoying learning from him and his coaches. I think we are seeing the fruits of our labour on the pitch and it has been a lot of hard work, for sure. I am most pleased for the fans, I think. There have been some tough times here, including since I have been here. I am most happy for them.”
Mings, meanwhile, will now have a short break before linking back up with England next week after his club form was rewarded by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.
Tyrone Mings said: “Yeah, nice. It wasn’t something I was necessarily expecting. I don’t think I have played much better since March. It was a really nice surprise and I am looking forward to being back in the camp.”
Asked on Villa’s next steps in Europe next season and what’s to come as Emery beefs out his squad with new top-quality signings this summer,
Tyrone Mings added: “Players here want to play at the highest level and, with that, comes competition for places. I don’t think we can get through the next year, with the amount of games we are going to have, without having a strong squad. I don’t think that is anything to be threatened by. It will push everyone to keep getting better.”
