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Phillips vows to keep cool on big stage

By Joe Bernstein

LEEDS midfielder Kalvin Phillips has promised not to lose his head again after a reckless tackle on the final day of the season nearly put him out of Euro 2020.

Phillips suffered a serious-looking shoulder injury after lunging in frustration at West Brom’s Grady Diangana and, though the 25-yearold did recover to be named in Gareth Southgate’s squad, it was a reminder he has to stay focused.

‘It was my mistake that led to their goal and you could see my mood change,’ he admitted. ‘I was annoyed with myself and that resulted in me getting injured.

‘ My first emotion was being fearful that I wouldn’t make the England squad. It’s a learning curve. There are things I need to work on in my game and I will continue to do that.’

Phillips has been one of the standout performers for Marcelo Bielsa’s side who finished ninth in the Premier League after promotion.

He could have an important role for England too this summer with Jordan Henderson’s last game coming back in February because of a groin injury.

Dubbed ‘ the Yorkshire Pirlo’, Phillips could win his eighth cap against Romania today in the final audition before England begin the finals against Croatia next weekend. He said the pressure isn’t getting to him. ‘I am more excited than anything,’ he said. ‘I’m laid-back off the pitch and try not to let anything get to me. The way Marcelo has coached me is never to get too over-hyped about how I’ve played and always make improvements.’

Bielsa has given Phillips a shirt from his former club Newell’s Old Boys for the midfielder to frame and put up in the games room of his new house.

It’s been rapid progress for the player who spent the last World Cup putting up flags around his house and watching England games in his living room with friends. Working with internationals in training has upped his own game.

‘The standard and how the players apply themselves is top notch,’ he said. ‘I was in awe of how good and quick some of the players were when I first came in. Now I try to keep up with them. You want to compete to be as good as them.’

Jokingly, when someone suggested he was better than N’Golo Kante, Phillips replied: ‘ Sadly, I would have to disagree.’

But c o nsi deri ng he was a n uncapped Championship player 12 months ago, the fact Phillips could face the world’s best defensive midfielder in the knockout stages of the Euros shows the sharp incline in his career.

Euro 2020

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2021-06-06T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-06T07:00:00.0000000Z

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