Kalvin Phillips was not happy when he saw manager Pep Guardiola explain to the media that the midfielder was overweight. The trainer left Phillips out of his selection for the League Cup match with Liverpool for that reason.
Guardiola addressed Phillips about being overweight
Phillips was still active with England at the World Cup two weeks before the game. Guardiola was not pleased when the midfielder returned to City. “He’s not injured, he came back overweight,” Guardiola said. “Kalvin was not in the right condition to train or play matches.”
In conversation with the BBC, Phillips addressed Guardiola’s statements. The midfielder did not have a good start to his period with The Citizens, who took him over from Leeds United for almost fifty million. “It was hard to accept because it got kind of blown up. A lot of people were talking about it,” Phillips said.
The international also disagreed with Guardiola: “I wasn’t overweight. But the manager saw it differently. I then did my best to get as fit as possible. I was back on the bench against Leeds and after that I was fit every game. In the end it was just a misunderstanding between me and the staff.”
Phillips announces that there will be more to see in the documentary about his first season in Manchester, which will be shown on Amazon Prime from July 19. The midfielder spoke to Jack Grealish about the transition to City. He revealed, “Everyone I spoke to said the same thing. It will take you a year to understand what the manager expects of you, how he wants you to play and work. I’ve known Jack for a long time and he understood how I felt. Hopefully next season will be better for me.”
Battle for Hamer erupts: Kompany is also interested
Gustavo Hamer can prepare for a transfer to the Premier League. After Fulham, according to The Telegraph, Burnley of Pep’s former pupil, manager Vincent Kompany is also interested in the 26-year-old midfielder from Coventry City.
An adventure in the Premier League still beckons for the former player of Feyenoord, FC Dordrecht and PEC Zwolle. Sky Sports previously reported that Fulham is interested in his services and on Tuesday the news from The Telegraph about Burnley was added. Hamer has spent three seasons with Coventry and still has a one-year contract in the West Midlands. It is unknown what it should cost. If Fulham continues, Hamer can become the third Dutchman in London service. At The Cottagers.
