The Anonymous Widower

A Different Class Of Footballer

Every few years or so, a footballer breaks through, who is at a totally different level to all his peers, both on the field and off.

In my sixty years of watching football, both live or on the television, I’ve seen just a few players like this; Franz Beckenbauer, Danny Blanchflower, Bobby Charlton, Johann Cruyf, Emlyn Hughes, Kevin Keegan and Jurgen Klinsmann. In a few years time some others like David Beckham, Lucas Radebe and Sol Campbell might be added to this list.

Of the players I’ve named, some like Beckham and Keegan would never be in the same class as the others, but they both possess an intelligence that enables them to make best use of what they’ve got.

Tyrone Mings is an unusual footballer, in that after being discarded by Southampton, he got a football scholarship at Millfield School. Here’s the first two paragraphs from the report in the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald.

Tyrone Mings, son of Bluebirds boss Adie Mings, has begun a football scholarship at the prestigious Millfield School and is still dreaming of becoming a professional player.

The former Sheldon School pupil, 16, had been on the books at Southampton FC but was released the financially-troubled club in December after their youth budget was slashed.

Then by way of unfashionable clubs like Yate Town and Chippenham Town, he got transferred to Ipswich for the sum of £10,000, to realise his dream.

So just like Beckham and Keegan, he probably has this will to get to the top.

On the BBC web site today, Mick McCarthy talks about a possible bid for Mings from Arsenal. The article says this.

Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy has said he is pleased that Arsenal are keeping tabs on defender Tyrone Mings.

It then goes on to say this under a heading of The Generosity Of Mings.

1. In March 2013, Mings provided two tickets to a supporter who had said on Twitter that he was too “skint” to go to a game.

2. Last year he spent part of Christmas Day feeding homeless people. “We spent a couple of hours helping to prepare the food and talking to the people there.”

3. After his squad number changed from 15 to three in the summer, he arranged for two fans with the old number to receive new shirts.

So he’s certainly got the intelligence and character, so let’s hope he doesn’t waste it.

But has he got the football skills? He reminds me in a way of Cyril Knowles, who I saw many times playing for Spurs in the 1960s and 1970s. He’s also certainly got speed to rival most players and the instinct of turning up in the opponent’s penalty area like Liverpool favourite Chris Lawler. Only in a couple of years time, will we know how good Mings really is.

December 5, 2014 - Posted by AnonW | Sport | Football, Ipswich Town