Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips has responded to criticism from manager Pep Guardiola, who referred to him as “overweight” following his return from the World Cup in Qatar. Phillips admitted that the comments were difficult to accept but stated that he did his best to get into peak physical condition. The midfielder made just four appearances for Manchester City before representing England in the World Cup, as he struggled with injuries after his transfer from Leeds in the previous summer. These struggles will be highlighted in the upcoming documentary, “Kalvin Phillips: The Road to City,” set to air on Amazon Prime from July 19th.
During an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live’s Breakfast show, Phillips revealed that although he disagreed with Guardiola’s remarks initially, he committed himself to hard work and eventually made 21 appearances for City, contributing to their Treble win in his debut season. He expressed his dismay at the extensive media coverage surrounding the issue and acknowledged that there had been a misunderstanding between him and some staff members. Additional details regarding this incident will feature in the documentary.
In the same interview, Phillips discussed the support he received from teammates who faced similar struggles in their initial seasons at City, including Jack Grealish, the club’s record signing. The midfielder emphasized the importance of the first 12 months at the club to understand the manager’s expectations and coaching style. Phillips expressed his gratitude for the advice he received from Grealish and looks forward to a better season ahead.
Furthermore, Phillips opened up about his personal life, specifically his upbringing in Leeds without a father figure due to his father, Mark, being in prison. He decided to create the documentary as a source of inspiration for other children in similar circumstances. Phillips aims to demonstrate that hard work and self-belief can make dreams come true. He recounted a recent conversation with his father, expressing his desire to help him reintegrate into society upon his release. However, his father simply expressed his satisfaction in being able to watch his son play football, as he had missed many previous moments due to his incarceration.
