Aston Villa boss Dean Smith: Call-up a big boost for Tyrone Mings

The 26-year-old centre-back is due back at Bodymoor Heath having spent the past 10 days with the national team following his maiden call-up.

Mings, who has enjoyed a superb start to the Premier League season, did not make it onto the pitch during the Three Lions’ Euro 2020 qualifying wins over Bulgaria and Kosovo.

But Smith believes there is plenty Mings will have learned from simply being away with Gareth Southgate’s squad.

“If you look at Tyrone’s career so far, he has worked with three different managers,” he said.

“Mick McCarthy signed him from non-league Ipswich and then he went to Bournemouth and worked under Eddie Howe.

“He will have learned from those experiences. Now he has gone to the pinnacle for an English lad of being in the squad. He is going to learn off Steve Holland and Gareth Southgate.

“I have kept in touch with all of the players who have gone away and Tyrone said the quality is really good, along with the detail they have gone into. He will learn an awful lot from that experience and hopefully we can benefit.”

Mings is one of several players who have been away on international duty and Smith added: “I believe it is good for them. It is the pinnacle of your career to play for your country.

“Even if John McGinn was injured, he would still want to go.

“He told me it would be like William Wallace not turning up for one of his battles if he didn’t go and play for Scotland. It is great for them to go out.”