Dean Smith's 'Rolls-Royce' Verdict On Ezri Konsa Highlights His Villa Impact

Former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has thrown his support behind Ezri Konsa ahead of England's World Cup campaign, describing the defender as a "Rolls-Royce" and backing him to make a major impact on the international stage.

Konsa is pushing for a place in Thomas Tuchel's starting XI for Wednesday's Group L opener against Croatia after featuring prominently in England's 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in their final warm-up match.

The 28-year-old's rise will come as little surprise to Smith, who played a pivotal role in his career. The former Villa boss first signed Konsa for Brentford from Charlton Athletic before bringing him to Villa Park in a deal worth around £12 million in 2019.

Since then, Konsa has developed into one of the Premier League's most consistent defenders and is now preparing for his second major tournament with England.

Speaking to BBC 5 Live, Smith praised both the defender's technical quality and his remarkable development.

"He's like a Rolls-Royce," Smith said. "I love the way he plays.

"He has come on leaps and bounds. People started likening him to Paul McGrath at Villa and Paul McGrath is known as God."

Smith also highlighted Konsa's defensive strengths, particularly his ability in one-against-one situations.

"He is athletic, good in the air and a very good defender. One-v-one, he is outstanding. He's very calm on the ball as well."

Konsa now finds himself competing with John Stones and Marc Guehi for a starting berth, but his performance levels over the last few seasons mean he has every right to believe he belongs in that conversation.

I've said for a while now that if Thomas Tuchel is genuinely picking on form and trust, then Ezri Konsa has a stronger case than many people realise.

Were I selecting England's team tomorrow, I'd probably still edge towards Jude Bellingham over Morgan Rogers in midfield, but when it comes to the defence, I think Konsa has a strong argument to be one of the first names penned into the XI.

What makes Konsa so valuable is that he has no real weakness as a defender.

Modern international football is often decided by moments. Defenders could get isolated. Full-backs get caught high. Teams transition quickly. When that happens, you need defenders capable of owning one-v-one situations.

That's exactly what Konsa excels at.

There aren't many defenders in world football who look as comfortable defending large spaces. We've seen it countless times for Aston Villa under Unai Emery. Villa's aggressive defensive structure regularly leaves defenders exposed, yet Konsa repeatedly comes out on top.

It's why opposition forwards rarely enjoy playing against him. It's why, whenever Villa are missing him, they instantly look less secure, not that he misses many.

For all the focus on England's attacking talent, there is a strong argument that Konsa is one of the most important defensive players available to Tuchel.

Listening to Smith speak about Konsa is also a reminder of just how much Aston Villa owe him.

The conversation around Villa's rise understandably centres on Unai Emery, and rightly so. Emery has transformed the club into trophy winners and Champions League regulars.

But the foundations were laid earlier.

Smith's recruitment record during Villa's return to the Premier League deserves enormous credit.

Konsa arrived for £12 million.

Matty Cash followed and has since become one of Villa's most reliable performers.

Ollie Watkins was signed from Brentford and has developed into arguably the club's best striker of the Premier League era.

Emiliano Martinez arrived from Arsenal and went on to become the greatest goalkeeper many Villa supporters have ever seenl, although former goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler should take a huge amount off credit too.

Tyrone Mings became one of the leaders of the dressing room and one of the defining figures of the club's modern revival.

Five players. Well over 1,000 appearances between them. A Europa League winner's medal for each. Champions League football. Now internationals. Club leaders.

When people discuss Villa's journey from Championship side to one capable of competing with Europe's elite, Dean Smith's contribution can sometimes be overlooked. It shouldn't be. The Steven Gerrard part in between maybe makes it get a little lost.

Konsa starting for England at a World Cup would be another reminder of the quality Smith helped bring through the doors at Villa Park.

And if the defender does line up against Croatia next week, few people will be prouder than the manager who spotted his potential all those years ago.