Ezri Konsa is the new face in the England team who escaped gangland violence to learn the art of...

If Ezri Konsa is selected for the most important game of his life on Saturday, he will remember John Terry's advice.

The Aston Villa defender is likely to start in England's Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland, earning a well-deserved opportunity after performing impressively under Unai Emery. Konsa has shown significant improvement while playing under the guidance of the Villa manager, but his breakthrough moment came during his debut season at Villa when the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a pause in competitive sports.

Ex-Chelsea and England leader Terry worked alongside Dean Smith as a coach in the 2019-20 season, providing valuable guidance for Konsa.

Konsa remembered how he and John spent many individual training sessions focused on different aspects of his game. He sought advice on ways to enhance his skills, how to sustain success, and how to maintain a positive mindset. After reviewing videos of his gameplay together, John emphasized the importance of working diligently, maintaining high training standards, and trusting that it will be reflected on the field.

While stuck at home due to lockdown, Terry and Konsa would have long discussions over Zoom about how to be a better central defender, watching videos handpicked by Terry. Konsa was just starting out in his Premier League career. Smith had previously coached the 26-year-old at Brentford, so when Villa found out Konsa was up for grabs for only £11million in the last days of the summer 2019 transfer window, they jumped at the opportunity. Konsa's value has likely increased by five times since then and he can further improve his worth with a stellar performance against the Swiss team.

Ezri Konsa is getting ready to play in his first game for England at the Euro 2024 tournament against Switzerland.

He has had an impressive season at Aston Villa, which resulted in him being selected for the tournament.

The defender used to have private training sessions with John Terry, as shown in the image on the right.

Smith, currently managing the US club Charlotte, shared, "I admired how he would personally discuss his clips and delve into the details of defending with JT. When we brought him in from Charlton to Brentford, he easily adapted and became one of the guys in the locker room. He's a fun presence to have around and has a great personality."

'Upon joining Villa, he became fully committed to his career and realized that with dedication and hard work, he could achieve great success. And that's exactly what he has accomplished.'

Speaking with individuals familiar with Villa, the feedback on Konsa is consistently positive. One person described him as "bright, diligent, and driven," while another said he is "one of the kindest individuals you could come across." His eagerness to improve and develop made him a perfect student for Emery, who recognized Konsa's talent right away.

Emery enjoys having private meetings with players in his office, where he uses recordings on an iPad to discuss his strategies. During training, he walks through sessions with a clipboard, occasionally stepping in to physically guide a player into the correct position for defending a set piece. Konsa pays close attention to everything Emery says and does.

If it weren't for football, Konsa's life could have taken a completely different path. He was raised in a rough area of Newham, east London, where he saw friends getting caught up in criminal activities and gang violence. Thankfully, his older brother, Antonio, made sure to steer Ezri away from that dangerous lifestyle.

However, Konsa's success should come as no shock when you think about his beginnings in football. Senrab FC, a youth club located in the eastern part of London, has a reputation for developing talented players who go on to play at the highest levels of English football. In addition to Konsa and Terry, notable players such as Sol Campbell, Ledley King, Ray Wilkins, Jermain Defoe, Lee Bowyer, and Bobby Zamora have also honed their skills at Senrab.

Konsa has recently earned his first cap for the national team, but he was close to playing for Portugal against France.

Dean Smith, who used to be his manager, told Mail Sport about the good qualities he sees in Konsa.

He has progressed well under Unai Emery (seen on the left) since then, but things could have turned out differently if it weren't for football and his brother.

Smith was taken aback by the delay in Konsa receiving the call-up and mentioned that Portugal showed interest.

Supporting Three Lions: Mail Sport's Campaign!

Smith expressed his surprise that the player wasn't selected for the England squad earlier. When he was at Villa, he started to feel concerned. The player's father has Portuguese ancestry, and Smith knew that Portugal was making inquiries to see if he was eligible to play for them.

"If he is selected to play in a defensive trio for England, it will not bother him. He has experience doing this while playing for me at Brentford and Aston Villa. In today's game, many teams use a three-man defense system. He is skilled at distributing the ball and does not take unnecessary risks. When spectators watch him play, they will simply recognize him as a very strong defender."