Kalvin Phillips has provided insight into his relationship with Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa, and how things went following the play-off semi-final defeat to Derby County last season.
The midfielder was speaking after he signed a new contract with boyhood club Leeds and explained why he was happy to stay at the club amid Premier League interest last summer.
He explained how Bielsa sent him a message in the days following the 4-2 defeat at home to Derby that ended their season.
“I got a message saying that he wanted to meet me,” Phillips said. “But then it didn’t happen. So I didn’t know what was going on.
“He didn’t really speak to me, I think he just had his trust hopefully I’d stay, and that I’d seen how hard he’d worked and how hard the club has worked to try and get the club back to the Premier League.”
His individual development has accelerated rapidly with Bielsa in charge, to the extent he was one of the most in-demand players in the division over the summer.
“It’s hard to tell really,” responded Phillips, when asked how his manager shows that he likes him.
“I don’t think he’s got favourites, but with the people that he likes, he kind of has to push them more.
“So he always has a go at me in training, to do something, he’ll always be shouting my name and making sure I’m doing the right things.
“He shows it in that way, instead of saying that he likes me.”
A version of this story was originally published in September 2019.
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