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Former Aston Villa skipper Martin Laursen heaps praise on Tyrone Mings

Former Villa skipper Martin Laursen has tipped Tyrone Mings for a big future after telling the defender he can be ‘anything he wants to be’.

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Laursen was back at Villa Park on Saturday to watch his former club beat Blackburn and continue their play-off charge.

And it was the performance of 26-year-old Mings, who scored the winning goal, which particularly caught the eye of both the ex-Denmark centre-back and his family.

Laursen revealed how his children, who were with him at the game, were so impressed by the Bournemouth loanee they asked for his shirt at the final whistle.

He said: “The kids wanted Mings’ jersey and I managed to get it. I just said hello to him and all the best! I had a picture with him, or maybe he had a picture with me, I don’t know!

“I said to him he can have a great future, if he continues like this. He can do whatever he wants.

“He’s strong, quick, good with his feet and a good header of the ball as well. He’s got everything.”

Mings, who joined Villa on loan in January, has played a major role in fixing the defensive woes which dogged them earlier in the campaign.

Laursen continued: “I’m very impressed. I hadn’t seen much of him before but I had heard a lot about him.

“He has played a lot of good games. Now I have seen him live, I was very impressed. He has got everything a centre-half needs to play in England. He’s massive and has a good left-foot.

“It’s nice to have a centre-half with a left foot. He’s quick as well and that is important.”

Laursen made 91 appearances during a five-year stay at Villa between 2004 and 2009, when a knee injury forced his early retirement.

Both he and former team-mate Juan Pablo Angel, who was also at the game, were given a rapturous reception when they were introduced to the crowd at half-time.

Laursen also played for Parma and AC Milan, with whom he won the Champions League, during a glittering career. But he revealed it is Villa who remain closest to his heart.

“It is the first team I look for. It’s my favourite team,” he said. “It’s here I played my best football and I had two incredible seasons.

“I was unlucky with injuries in the beginning but my Villa career as unbelievable.

“I was captain and very proud of that. I played my best football ever. Unfortunately I had to quit too early but that is life.

“I said to Juan Pablo it is unbelievable that after so many years people remember us.

“I know they think we have done well and we probably have. But it is only here in England people are so good at remembering that.

“We are obviously honoured and proud of it. I love to feel so appreciated by the fans. This is where I enjoyed it most.”