‘The ability, the talent’: Steve McClaren raves about Leeds United star

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Leeds United are flying high in the Championship – but Kalvin Phillips probably won’t play for England until he is a Premier League star.

Steve McClaren has hailed the natural ‘ability’ of Leeds United talisman Kalvin Phillips but believes an England call-up would be a step too far for a man still plying his trade in the Championship, speaking to Sky Sports (26 February, 1pm).

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has been spotted at Elland Road on a number of occasions in the last 18 months or so and, with the England boss expected to experiment with his squad during next month’s friendly clashes with Italy and Denmark, some have suggested that Phillips could be in line for an international debut.

The 24-year-old is arguably the most influential footballer anywhere in England’s second tier – but therein lies the problem.

Southgate previously admitted to the Telegraph that he was reluctant to hand Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish a call-up while he was strutting his stuff in the second tier, suggesting that he would only consider players who have proven themselves at Premier League level.

And McClaren, England boss during that failed Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, feels that Phillips’s status as a Championship footballer might hold him back for the time being.

“Phillips has got the credentials, the ability, the talent, he’s maturing, he’s got to take that step,” said the former Nottingham Forest and Derby County coach.

“(But) the step up to England is phenomenal in terms of mentality, physicality, mobility. (I would only pick) Premier League players. We had to see them in that type of environment.”

McClaren, of course, handed David Nugent his one and only England cap in 2007 when he was in the midst of a 15-goal Championship campaign at Preston North End. But Nugent is one of very few examples of players who have represented the Three Lions while starring outside the top flight.

And with Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, Harry Winks, Fabian Delph and even the likes of James Ward-Prowse ahead of him in the pecking order, Euro 2020 could come too soon for Phillips.