4 | Kalvin Phillips - 2024/25

[RodneyRodney]

It’s not the 1990’s anymore. When you’re paid millions a year after somebody pays tens of millions for your services you cannot be overweight.

And regardless of that opinion, it wasn’t the fact that Phillips came back a few lbs overweight and Pep humiliated him, let’s look back at the time.

He was bought for a reported £42m on a reported £150k a week.

After three substitute appearances totalling 20 mins he was sent for shoulder surgery a month into the season and his focus at that time was not anything to do with Manchester City, but to be part of the World Cup squad in November.

He returned playing 40 minutes against Chelsea in the EFL Cup on 9th November and 5 days later was selected in the World Cup squad.

During the World Cup he played a total of 40 minutes over just two games and England were sent home on 9th December.

City had an upcoming game in the EFL Cup on 22nd December against Liverpool.

All World Cup selected players were given time off following their staggered exits.

Phillips instead of thinking “I’ve only played 60 mins for my new club and only 100 mins in total in 3 months, I’m going to go back to the CFA and work my arse off and hit the ground running for the game against Liverpool in 12 days time” like Ake and Laporte did.

He thought, I deserve a break in New York.

And when called out for coming back overweight, instead of owning it by saying he indulged and was unprofessional, he said the following:

“'I'd gone to New York for three or four days after Qatar. I'd flown all day. I'd had breakfast, lunch, dinner and landed. Slept during the flight as well. And straight into football. I'd had a full day of eating. There is water retention and stuff on a flight. It was a misunderstanding really.”

Of course Pep was pissed off and had every right to call him out.

Grealish also went to New York at the same time, but he had played 22 games for club and country up to that time, didn’t go near the hot dogs and more importantly didn’t clock back in hours after being on a 7 hour flight overweight. He played in the Liverpool game on the 22nd December, got back up to speed in the subsequent games and look how important he was to the team that eventually won the treble.

I think Phillips footballing ability is average but his mentality for an elite footballer is one of the weakest I have known.

Nail. Head

 

[BlueTG]

It’s not the 1990’s anymore. When you’re paid millions a year after somebody pays tens of millions for your services you cannot be overweight.

And regardless of that opinion, it wasn’t the fact that Phillips came back a few lbs overweight and Pep humiliated him, let’s look back at the time.

He was bought for a reported £42m on a reported £150k a week.

After three substitute appearances totalling 20 mins he was sent for shoulder surgery a month into the season and his focus at that time was not anything to do with Manchester City, but to be part of the World Cup squad in November.

He returned playing 40 minutes against Chelsea in the EFL Cup on 9th November and 5 days later was selected in the World Cup squad.

During the World Cup he played a total of 40 minutes over just two games and England were sent home on 9th December.

City had an upcoming game in the EFL Cup on 22nd December against Liverpool.

All World Cup selected players were given time off following their staggered exits.

Phillips instead of thinking “I’ve only played 60 mins for my new club and only 100 mins in total in 3 months, I’m going to go back to the CFA and work my arse off and hit the ground running for the game against Liverpool in 12 days time” like Ake and Laporte did.

He thought, I deserve a break in New York.

And when called out for coming back overweight, instead of owning it by saying he indulged and was unprofessional, he said the following:

“'I'd gone to New York for three or four days after Qatar. I'd flown all day. I'd had breakfast, lunch, dinner and landed. Slept during the flight as well. And straight into football. I'd had a full day of eating. There is water retention and stuff on a flight. It was a misunderstanding really.”

Of course Pep was pissed off and had every right to call him out.

Grealish also went to New York at the same time, but he had played 22 games for club and country up to that time, didn’t go near the hot dogs and more importantly didn’t clock back in hours after being on a 7 hour flight overweight. He played in the Liverpool game on the 22nd December, got back up to speed in the subsequent games and look how important he was to the team that eventually won the treble.

Alvarez WON the World Cup, flew to Argentina to celebrate and came back 7 days later not overweight, not tired, not unfit. A true professional with an elite mentality.

I think Phillips footballing ability is average but his mentality for an elite footballer is one of the weakest I have known.

That wasn’t strictly the accurate picture. Grealish was pictured with a huge American slice of greasy pizza which some on here lost their mind about a professional athlete eating.

Anyway, Phillips should have applied himself more. I don’t think there’s many disagreeing that Pep shouldn’t have pulled him up on his weight, just some believe it should have been done in club and not via the national press.

 

[Lavinda Past]

That wasn’t strictly the accurate picture. Grealish was pictured with a huge American slice of greasy pizza which some on here lost their mind about a professional athlete eating.

Anyway, Phillips should have applied himself more. I don’t think there’s many disagreeing that Pep shouldn’t have pulled him up on his weight, just some believe it should have been done in club and not via the national press.

Exactly my point throughout this thread. Pep's action in relation to Kalvin Phillips said a lot more about him than it did about Kalvin.

I think we all had doubts over Kalvin's ability at 'elite' or even mid-PL level when we signed him. He's simply not good enough. That doesn't mean that the coach should publicly humiliate him... Just sideline him and shift him out quietly.

 

[normskih]

That wasn’t strictly the accurate picture. Grealish was pictured with a huge American slice of greasy pizza which some on here lost their mind about a professional athlete eating.

Anyway, Phillips should have applied himself more. I don’t think there’s many disagreeing that Pep shouldn’t have pulled him up on his weight, just some believe it should have been done in club and not via the national press.

Agreed.