MINGS: PERHAPS I WAS A BETTER
TYRONE MINGS knows he can take nothing for granted.
Ask him about England and he laughs at the notion that he is a regular. Ask him about Aston Villa and he says he is in a better place than he was one year ago.
Ask him about his life in football in general and he admits he’s living on a “knife-edge”.
That may be because of a serious knee injury that stalled his career. Or it may be that a run-out for Mick McCarthy (right) – when he was struggling to make his way – has affected his outlook.
Ireland’s boss recounted a story recently when a younger Mings was part-time for Chippenham and he was in charge at Ipswich Town, having set up a trial game for the defender.
Mings was substituted 10 minutes from time. McCarthy had made up his mind that he was going to offer the youngster a professional deal. The man in question had no idea.
He said: “I wasn’t happy with him – not one bit. I was a mortgage adviser, getting up to play in a trial game. I didn’t want to come off.
“I’d played for Chippenham on the Saturday and had this match 48 hours later. I got a knock on my knee, so I was hobbling around a bit.
“It appears Mick had made his mind up by that stage — but I
DEAN SMITH would like nothing better than to show off the League Cup to the man who sparked his love affair with Aston Villa.
But, heartbreakingly, Villa’s chief knows it would be an empty gesture.
Smith has claret and blue running through his veins, so does his brother Dave.
So, too, does his dad Ron. But the man who nurtured his affection for the Birmingham club and took him to his first League Cup final in 1977, no longer knows his name. Or even the fact he has a son.
Smith is a leader of men. Someone for whom a smile and a laugh is a default position.
A glass half-full type of bloke.
But even his cheery mask slipped a little this week.
He said: “My dad has dementia – he has no idea I’m Villa’s manager. I went to see him just before the play-off final. He was awake and I just saw that little glint in his eye.
“Unfortunately, over the past couple of months, I’ve not seen him too often with his eyes open. It’s a shame, isn’t it? What can you do?
“I was only six when he took me and my brother Dave to the final against Everton in ’77. We’d have gone on the coach to Wembley because my dad doesn’t drive.
“It wasn’t the greatest game, so I’m told. But that was my first real memory and I have my dad to thank for that.”
And then the mask goes back on.
“Mind you,” he continued, “my brother Dave’s eyes are open all right.
“He was probably sat behind the goal at Southampton last week and it would have hurt him as a Villa fan – because of the team and what I was going through.
“Actually, there’s a funny story. Last season, we played Sheffield United and we were three-down with 10 minutes to go. It ends up 3-3. Villa Park is bouncing.
“He came into my room afterwards for a drink and said, didn’t know that when he was taking me off. No one wants to come off in a trial.
“And I was very good as a mortgage adviser – perhaps better than I was as a footballer.
“I did it for 10 months and I really enjoyed it — that’s where I saw my life going — I was putting everything into a career in financial services.
“I may go back to it when I’m finished. Look, I’d come from working in a pub — so that was a