Ezri Konsa was more than happy to put his Dubai holiday on hold for a debut England call-up… with the Aston Villa defender keen to show Gareth Southgate he deserves his chance

Konsa is ahead of his Premier League peers across several defensive metrics
PLUS: Conor Gallagher has shaken off imposter syndrome after Chelsea spell
It’s baffling why Guardiola sold Palmer to a rival club – It’s All Kicking Off

Ezri Konsa was preparing for an early-winter jaunt to Dubai before his phone started to ring on Sunday evening.

The Aston Villa defender, next to partner Ronni, was driving down the motorway after helping his side to a 3-1 win over Fulham.

They were planning to use the international break to take in some rest and recuperation in the Middle East. But then an old friend popped up on his caller ID.

‘I was driving on the M1 and it was raining. We were talking about going on holiday,’ said Konsa. ‘Two minutes later, Ruth (Corry, England team operations officer) called me and said, “I hope you’ve got no holidays booked”.

‘I said no — but I did! And she told me I was in the squad. I know Ruth really well, I worked with her at Charlton, so she was really excited for me as well.

Ezri Konsa was delighted to put the breaks on a trip to Dubai when he received his first call-up

The Aston Villa starlet has long been considered overlooked by manager Gareth Southgate

But the 26-year-old kept the faith and has been rewarded with a spot in the squad ahead of matches versus Malta and North Macedonia

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‘Then I got a call from the gaffer. He was just congratulating me, telling me that I should come and enjoy myself, get to know the lads and go from there.’

You’d have forgiven Konsa for believing his chance under Gareth Southgate would never arrive. Despite a catalogue of excellent displays in the heart of Villa’s defence, he has been consistently overlooked by the England boss: Marc Guehi, Lewis Dunk, Levi Colwill and club-mate Tyrone Mings have all been selected ahead of him in recent seasons. Yet Konsa never lost faith.

‘I knew I had a lot to work on in my game, we’ve only recently excelled at Villa in the last two seasons and that has helped me become the player I am today,’ he said. ‘I knew my time would come. It was just a matter of when. I was patient.

‘I always believe in myself and I am really enjoying my football now. It is a proud moment for me and my family, a dream come true — ever since I was a kid I wanted to play for England so I am just grateful for the opportunity.’

Konsa’s phone has been blowing up since his call-up, at the expense of the injured Dunk, was confirmed on Monday. Former England captain John Terry, who worked with the 26-year-old during his time as a coach at Villa Park, was among those to have sent congratulatory texts.

‘It means a lot coming from a legend like John Terry, I worked with him for two years and he really helped my game,’ Konsa explained. ‘I used to ask him a lot of questions and he gave me a lot of advice. I took that on and it has definitely helped me get to where I am today.’

Konsa’s chances of making his debut against Malta on Friday or North Macedonia on Monday improved on Tuesday after fellow centre back Levi Colwill withdrew from the squad with a shoulder injury. Jude Bellingham has also pulled out of the final Euro 2024 qualifiers with a shoulder problem, while Marcus Rashford is expected to report to St George’s Park in the next 24 hours after being permitted to join up late because of a personal issue. Kalvin Phillips is also due to join up later this week because of a family matter.

Konsa is one of three late call-ups for debutants, including Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (left), and Rico Lewis of Manchester City (centre)

Konsa’s form under Unai Emery has seen him rank highest among Premier League defenders across several skill sets

Conor Gallagher is backing himself to play with increased confidence after a strong spell for Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino

Meanwhile, Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher says he is rid of the imposter syndrome that followed him to last winter’s World Cup in Qatar. The 23-year-old admitted he was not sure he deserved last November’s call-up but his starting role at his club has changed all that.

‘That (doubt) is not the case any more,’ he said. ‘Playing every game so far with Chelsea this season and doing well really helps my confidence and I think you can see that on the pitch.

‘After the World Cup squad was announced last year, I wasn’t playing much for Chelsea and we were going through a tough period.

‘But I’m very confident in my ability and what I can do. Training and playing alongside midfielders worth £100million-plus is good and shows where I’m at.’

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