Phillips stuck in a vicious circle
He’s training hard at West Ham, has moved his family south and is eager to please, but without game time he can’t get fit
PERCHED outside the expansive futsal arena at St George’s Park in August 2021, Kalvin Phillips held court.
Legs crossed and arms folded, the midfielder spoke rather uncomfortably of his pride at being named England’s Player of the Season. Spend time in Phillips’ company and it becomes clear public speaking does not come naturally to him. Yet his shyness and humility are rather endearing.
It was as if he was embarrassed to accept the accolade, or that he was undeserving. That could not have been further from the truth — Phillips’ fine performances alongside Declan Rice in England’s midfield at Euro 2020 captivated the nation.
If anyone was deserving of the honour, it was him, someone comfortable orchestrating the tempo of a match, breaking the lines with such ferocious incision that opponents were left ragged and disorganised. He was given the nickname the Yorkshire Pirlo for good reason.
So, the sight of Phillips flicking the middle finger at a supporter in the face of vocal criticism as he boarded the West Ham bus following Saturday’s 4-3 loss at Newcastle, a game his side were leading 3-1 when he was brought on as a second-half substitute, came as a shock. Not because the gesture caused offence, but that it was Phillips making it.
‘Completely out of character,’ said one source yesterday.
But the performance — in which he gave away a penalty and failed to close down Harvey Barnes before he scored the late winner — was the straw that broke the camel’s back. There are only so many setbacks a person can take, even someone as laidback as Phillips.
With the Euros looming, it is no exaggeration to say he was closer to the England squad when he was sitting on Manchester City’s bench than he is now, having moved to West Ham with the intention of staying in Gareth Southgate’s group.
It is not for want of trying. Phillips has thrown himself into London life. The 28-year-old has retained his northern base but is living in Stratford, east London, a short drive from the London Stadium and West Ham’s Rush Green training facility. His long-term partner Ashleigh and four-monthold baby have moved south with him to help him settle.
At training, he is said to be as approachable and friendly as ever, despite his career stalling so alarmingly. He is applying himself in training and working towards greater fitness.
But there is acknowledgement his performances since arriving in January have not been at the level required. He is in a rut.
Fitness continues to be an issue. His conditioning is said to be on point but he is lacking in match sharpness, understandable given his lack of game-time under Pep Guardiola.
But it is not as if West Ham or David Moyes did not realise what they were getting themselves into. Mail Sport knows of clubs that walked away from a loan deal for the midfielder in the window amid cost-efficiency fears.
There was a feeling it would take Phillips around two months of regular football to regain full match fitness following his largely dormant spell at the Etihad. Having been quoted a £6million loan fee and a requirement to pay his £140,000-a-week wages, there was a belief among some that the cost was too much, taking into account a club might only have seen Phillips in top physical condition for the final weeks of the campaign.
‘It wasn’t the kind of deal that would see your club jump up four places in the league,’ a Premier League sporting director told Mail Sport.
Needless to say, unless Phillips somehow turns his season around, West Ham will send him back to City this summer without a deal to take him permanently.
For the time being, injuries and suspensions in West Ham’s midfield appear to be his only route into the starting line-up on a regular basis.
He needs matches. But how can you provide a platform for a player who is so out of form? It is a catch-22 for which Moyes is trying to find an answer.
Phillips is such a likeable guy that Moyes will want to do the best he can for him as he tries to earn an England recall. But the manager, himself under serious pressure from sections of the Hammers supporters, knows his desire to help can only stretch so far.
Ahead of today’s huge game at home to London rivals Tottenham, Moyes offered support for Phillips over his altercation with the fan.
‘Kalvin’s a human being and can do things which we all do at different times,’ said the Scot. ‘What he needs is support behind him, people to help him, and we’re going to stand with him and help him as much as we possibly can.
‘He’s fine, he’s back training and we’ve all moved on from the weekend. He is a really good player, an international player, and I do believe he is an excellent footballer. We can still make something out of the time we’ve got left with him here.’
The indications are that City will put Phillips up for sale this summer. One well-placed source has told Mail Sport the Treble winners want £30million for him.
Eighteen months ago, signing Phillips for £30m would have represented one of the deals of the century. We will find out soon if that is still the case.
Indeed, at least one Premier League suitor believes that price for Phillips no longer represents good value.
Talk of a potential return to Leeds is gathering pace. There are many who believe the transfer has legs if the Elland Road side can secure promotion back to the Premier League. But even then, £30m for a newly-promoted team would be a major outlay.
A return to his spiritual home may be exactly what Phillips needs. He is revered by their fanbase and sometimes all you need is love.
This was supposed to be a period that consolidated his standing as one of European football’s elite central midfielders. Instead, it has been a spell that has left him broken — and on Saturday he snapped. I NJURY issues dogged Phillips’ dream move from Leeds to City in the summer of 2022. He made just two Premier League starts in 18 months after joining for £42m, although he did end the season with three winners’ medals.
Guardiola had been vocal in his concerns over the player, an issue that came to a head after the World Cup when the City boss accused Phillips of being overweight following a 10- day rest period.
But even at the height of his problems at City, Phillips always knew he had the safety blanket of England.
Southgate continued to pick him despite his lack of minutes, his reasoning being that playing regularly ahead of Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and more recently Mateo Kovacic would be a monumental feat.
But now even Southgate, who is known for being immensely loyal to his players, cannot justify Phillips’ inclusion and dropped him for the recent games against Brazil and Belgium.
There was a time when English football had fallen head over heels in love with Kalvin Phillips. That seems a long time ago now.
They say the comeback is always greater than the setback. Let’s hope that is the case for one of football’s good guys.