Clement: I’ve got a great deal of support
BRING
IT ON: Dominic CalvertLewin will slug it out with new signingsEVERTON
DOMINIC CALVERTLEWIN is up for the scrap to keep his place if Everton boss Sam Allardyce brings in a high-profile striker next month.
Calvert-Lewin has never shied away from a battle – he learned that from his nononsense, non-league days at Stalybridge Celtic and clearly remembers his bruising time in the Conference North.
But that experience at the age of 17 made him physically and mentally stronger with a new Everton contract the reward for his climb from obscurity to the big time.
Calvert-Lewin, who was loaned to Stalybridge from Sheffield United, said: “Within 20 minutes on my debut I’d been smashed in the face with an elbow.
“I had a big black eye and went to A&E that night. “That was my first taste
of it and that said to me: Welcome to non-league football.
“I could hardly see but I played the full 90 minutes, scored two and set one up. From that moment on I knew I was going to enjoy it.
“I could have turned around and said, ‘This ain’t for me’. But I rose to it. As soon as I got smashed in the face I wanted to smash the player who did it.
“That’s just the way I’ve been brought up. It was a humbling experience and showed you where you’ve come from and how good you’ve had it. We trained on a leisure centre pitch which they rented for the week.
“It was an enjoyable time. A real mix. Players from all different backgrounds and different ages. As a 17-year-old kid I’d just gone to do as best I could and was just excited.
“It was a crucial time in my development, my first bash at competitive men’s football.
“It was massive in toughening me up and enabling me to produce what I’m capable of now. I’m at the stage now where I’ve played a few times. I’ve set the bar for myself in terms of performances and what I can produce on the pitch.
“I’ve made massive strides in 18 months. It’s gone really quickly but to look how far I’ve come, it’s crazy really.
“But I’m thoroughly May 2017: Swansea 1 Everton 0 Nov 2016: Everton 1 Swansea 1 Jan 2016: Everton 1 Swansea 2 Sep 2015: Swansea 0 Everton 0 Apr 2015: Swansea 1 Everton 1 enjoying it.” Now comes his biggest test in the new year – the fight to stay in Allardyce’s firing line if, and when, he signs a big-name hitman.
So the big question is will Calvert-Lewin, at 20, step up to the plate?
He added: “There is only one answer to that question – and that is to rise to the challenge.
“I welcome competition into the club and it is only going to improve me as a player.
“You have to raise your game to make sure you are better than the man next to you.
“That’s the way I see it and you can’t be disappointed if they bring someone else in.
“It’s the Premier League, the most competitive league in the world. No matter what team you play for in this league, there is always going to be competition and people brought in.
“I’m working every day to improve all aspects of my game and round myself to be the best player I can. And it’s very good to play alongside Wayne Rooney.
“I don’t think there is anyone better that I could have around me to learn from and improve me.
“Wayne’s England’s record goalscorer and I want to score more goals so I don’t need to look any further than that.
“And the manager has worked with some very good players over the years.
“But I knew that whatever manager came in it would be a clean slate for everyone.” STRIKER Dominic CalvertLewin has broken his silence over the Mersey derby penalty which left Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp fuming.
Ref Craig Pawson pointed to the spot when the Everton striker fell to the ground under a challenge from Dejan Lovren (below).
Wayne Rooney converted to snatch a 1-1 draw.
Furious Klopp slammed the decision and took out his anger on a TV reporter.
But Calvert-Lewin said: “Whether it’s soft or not it’s a penalty. I’ve felt contact in the box and that’s that.
“In terms of the reaction, I can’t do much about that.
“It happens a lot in the Premier League where one team agrees with a decision and one team doesn’t.”
STEVE MILLAR SIR ALEX FERGUSON, Carlo Ancelotti and Guus Hiddink – not a bad group of managerial greats to be watching your back.
Especially when you are a still relatively new top-flight boss feeling the heat at the wrong end of the table.
Just ask under-fire Swansea supremo Paul Clement after he tapped into that illustrious trio’s wealth of knowledge and experience at a recent League Managers’ Association event.
He spent the evening in the company of Fergie and Co – and a few days later watched his Welsh strugglers grab a vital home victory over relegation rivals West Brom.
Although not enough to lift the Swans out of the Premier League basement, that first win in nine games spared Clement the immediate sack.
And he admits the chance to pick the brains of such coaching heavyweights gave him a massive boost in his hour of need. As did the personal messages of congratulations he received from each post-match.
Clement (below left) No.2 to Ancelotti (below right) at Chelsea, Paris St-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, said: “I was with Carlo at the LMA dinner.
“He got an award for 1,000 games – along with Tony Pulis, John Toshack and Claudio Ranieri. I was on Carlo’s table with Sir Alex and I also caught up with Guus. There were a few nuggets of advice from these senior managers that were absolutely brilliant.
“And all of them sent me a message after West Brom – which was really nice.”
Clement, 45, first met Old Trafford legend Fergie after being fired by Derby two years ago.
He added: “When I lost my job at Derby I got in touch with Sir Alex and went to see him. We spent a couple of hours together. We’ve kept in contact ever since and have a really good relationship.”
Tomorrow Clement faces another of English football’s old school managers as Swansea travel to an Everton outfit rejuvenated by the arrival of Sam Allardyce.
Clement almost teamed up with Allardyce during the latter’s brief ill-fated England reign but Bayern rejected the approach for his services.
However, despite many famous friends in high places, Clement knows he remains in grave danger at the Liberty Stadium.
He added: “Tony Pulis captured it perfectly at the dinner when he said as a manager you just have to win. That’s how you’re judged and measured.”