A journey that has taken 14 months and covered more than 21,000 miles could conclude this weekend with Tyrone Mings set to return to the Aston Villa team.
Mings has been out of action since suffering a serious knee injury against Newcastle on the opening day of the 2023/24 season. Villa lost 5–1, but concerns for one of the side’s natural leaders dominated their thoughts far more than the result.
Mings wouldn’t be human if he hadn’t wondered, even for a short time, whether he would ever play at the highest level again.
Because this was more than a damaged anterior cruciate ligament – which would have been bad enough. Mings had also torn the cartilage in his knee, meaning he was unable to begin serious rehabilitation work on the ACL until November last year. The physical toll was one thing. The psychological burden is completely different.
Unai Emery has never wavered in his support for Mings. Even when Mings was far from completing his recovery, Emery wanted to include him in the first-team squad. Apart from Emi Martinez and Mings, Villa’s are a relatively quiet team.
Tyrone Mings is closing in on a return to the Aston Villa team after a 14-month injury layoff
Villa centre-back Mings, 31, has been out of action since suffering a serious knee injury against Newcastle on the opening day of the 2023/24 season.
Throughout the long period, Unai Emery has never wavered in his support for Mings
During his recovery, Mings crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the clinic of knee expert Bill Knowles
That’s why Mings has been in the locker room for recent games, traveling to away games and attending Emery’s afternoon video sessions. Emery wanted Mings to feel involved in the process, even if he couldn’t be on the field.
Anyone who watched Villa during the 2020-2021 season, when crowds were largely shut out due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will remember Mings’ booming notes echoing around the empty stands. “Don’t worry about that, Cashy!” he roared after watching Matty Cash pull Harvey Barnes back by his shorts during Villa’s 1-0 win over Leicester in October 2020. The memory is vivid of Mings shouting “Ally!” roared. We need you!’ against the hapless Mbwana Samatta as Villa held on to the run at West Ham that secured their top-flight survival last season.
In fact, those memories may have helped keep Mings steady as he contemplated his recovery. Long hours day in and day out at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground. Grinding away in the gym, apart from the action, is no longer wise to make the jokes. With the same question. “How’s your knee, Ty?”
Fortunately, Mings had an escape route. When he suffered a similar injury while playing for Bournemouth, Mings headed across the Atlantic to the clinic of knee expert Bill Knowles. Knowles is hugely respected in American sports for his work with NFL and ice hockey stars, and Mings headed back to Knowles’ base in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Knowles believes the mental impact of a serious knee injury is just as important as the physical. He believes those who have been through this experience before have an advantage because they understand what it takes to return.
During his first meetings with athletes, Knowles will show them examples of peers who have successfully recovered from multiple setbacks. For those who have suffered before, Knowles will discuss the previous rehabilitation process and try to find ways to improve it the second time.
Mings made three separate visits to Knowles’ clinic during this rehabilitation period and is said to be in excellent condition – both mentally and physically. If Emery had asked him to play in the recent 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, Mings would have had no qualms about it – although Emery would never have taken the risk. Mings has since played 45 minutes against Newcastle Under 21 and an hour behind closed doors against Sheffield Wednesday. The 31-year-old feels ready.
Emery values Mings so much that he opted not to sign an extra central defender during the summer. The Villa boss had his targets, most notably Lutsharel Geertruida, but when the Dutch defender joined RB Leipzig from Feyenoord, Emery left the ring. There was no point in just bringing in a defender when he knew Mings was on his way back.
Emery has kept the 31-year-old in the squad to help him feel part of the process
Mings made his long-awaited return in the Under 21 match against Newcastle earlier this month
Emi Martinez and Mings are the most powerful personalities in Villa’s squad and with the club chasing success on four fronts, Emery is pleased to finally be able to call on both of them.
It’s a gamble, of course. With neither Mings nor Ezri Konsa part of the back four, Villa look much shakier and Konsa was unable to play for England during the recent international break after suffering a hamstring injury in the 0-0 draw against Manchester United.
Despite his optimism, it would be a challenge for Mings to immediately step back into high-level competition and not show rust.
Therefore, he is unlikely to return to the starting line-up in any of the next three games: against Fulham on Saturday, Bologna in the Champions League on Tuesday, or against Bournemouth at Villa Park on October 26. however, on October 30 seems ideal.
Although John McGinn wears the armband, Martinez and Mings are the most powerful personalities in Emery’s squad. And with Villa chasing success on four fronts, Emery is pleased to finally be able to appeal on both fronts.
