Leeds United: Phillips nervous at prospect of his Leeds debut but sure he will cope
Yorkshire Evening Post 11/3/15
Teenage midfielder Kalvin Phillips hopes his Leeds United’s debut is just around the corner – but admits the thought of it is making him nervous.
The 19-year-old made the bench for the first time during Saturday’s 1-0 win at Wigan Athletic but was left as an unused substitute by head coach Neil Redfearn as Leeds fought to hold on at the end of a tight Championship game.
Phillips was used instead in an Under-21 game against Huddersfield Town on Monday, scoring with a 25-yard strike in a rousing 5-0 win, and he is next in line for a senior bow at Leeds after the emergence of academy products Sam Byram, Alex Mowatt, Charlie Taylor and Lewis Cook.
Phillips admitted he was “disappointed” not to feature at Wigan but said: “I realised it was tight. It was a close game. Redders is waiting for the right time to put us through but he’s always said that I’ll get my chance.
“I try not to (think about it) because I get nervous sometimes. People say I’m quite laid back but behind that I can be nervous.”
Redfearn, however, claimed Phillips would have coped with a debut against Wigan, saying: “It wouldn’t have bothered me one bit if I’d had to bring him on. He’s more than capable.”
Teenage midfielder Kalvin Phillips hopes his Leeds United’s debut is just around the corner – but admits the thought of it is making him nervous.
The 19-year-old made the bench for the first time during Saturday’s 1-0 win at Wigan Athletic but was left as an unused substitute by head coach Neil Redfearn as Leeds fought to hold on at the end of a tight Championship game.
Phillips was used instead in an Under-21 game against Huddersfield Town on Monday, scoring with a 25-yard strike in a rousing 5-0 win, and he is next in line for a senior bow at Leeds after the emergence of academy products Sam Byram, Alex Mowatt, Charlie Taylor and Lewis Cook.
Phillips admitted he was “disappointed” not to feature at Wigan but said: “I realised it was tight. It was a close game. Redders is waiting for the right time to put us through but he’s always said that I’ll get my chance.
“I try not to (think about it) because I get nervous sometimes. People say I’m quite laid back but behind that I can be nervous.”
Redfearn, however, claimed Phillips would have coped with a debut against Wigan, saying: “It wouldn’t have bothered me one bit if I’d had to bring him on. He’s more than capable.”
