Danny Ings on England reminder that has led him to verge of Three Lions return
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Danny Ings gives most of his memorabilia to his father but there is a special item he has made a point of hanging on to.
And that is his one and only England cap, earned for a half-hour cameo when Roy Hodgson’s team were already a couple up before closing out a 3-0 win in Lithuania in October, 2015.
It does not take pride of place in the Ings household, far from it.
The solitary cap has been dug out now and again as a symbol of Ings’ unfulfilled international ambitions.
He explained: “Since I was a kid and throughout my career, my dad has all the stuff but the cap stayed with me as a reminder.
“It was something for me to work towards.
(Image: Eddie Keogh for The FA/REX/Shutterstock)
“I just kept it in the house with me because I did not want to have just one cap. I want to represent my country more and more and to be in the squads.
“It is not on display but when I got the call, it was good to get it out and hopefully I can add more to it in the future.”
Almost immediately after winning that cap, Ings was injured on the Liverpool training pitch, the beginning of a frustrating period that did not see him fully fit for a sustained amount of time until the start of the 2017-18 season.
After severely limited opportunities at Anfield, Ings moved to Southampton two years ago and, this season, finished only one behind Golden Boot winner Jamie Vardy.
Ings’ 22 goals included just one penalty.
That form has seen him rewarded by Gareth Southgate and Ings is convinced that, even though he turned 28 this summer, his England future is packed with potential.
(Image: PA)
He said: “I think the best part of my football is going to be in the second part of my career because I did miss quite a lot of football.
“I still feel extremely fit and hungry and I do feel the best football for me is going to be in years to come.”
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Ings is a hugely popular player amongst his peers and as long ago as 2014, he began the Danny Ings Disability Sport project, providing coaching to children with physical and learning difficulties.
“I said back then the influence football players can have on cities and the country itself is huge,” Ings said.
“To see all of these lads putting the time and work in and affecting people’s lives in a positive way is great and you can see the connection with the public and how influential that can be.
“Credit to Marcus (Rashford) and everybody else who is doing their bit.”
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