Leeds first-teamer admits he was ‘shocked’ at Bielsa’s request

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Kalvin Phillips has told the Guardian that he was ‘shocked’ when Marcelo Bielsa told him to change positions and become a bonafide number six.

The recently called up England international shared that he saw himself as a ‘box-to-box’ midfielder during his early years at Elland Road before Bielsa requested a change.

It’s a decision and a conversation that has pushed Phillips’ career towards the promised land, along with his boyhood club, who will now be preparing to take on the Premier League champions at the weekend.

Phillips, who is now regarded as one of the best up and coming defensive-minded midfielders, shared how he felt when Bielsa first told him about changing positions.

“I was a bit shocked when he first asked me to do that,” Phillips told the Guardian. “I saw myself as a box-to-box midfielder who scored a few goals.

“I was never going to say no to a manager like ours, but it was six or seven months before I properly understood where to stand on the pitch and how to read situations

“It was difficult at first, but we both stuck with it and it seems to have worked.”

Things could get even better for Phillips during these coming months because he can now showcase his talents on the biggest stage of them all.

Phillips has the physical strength to cope with Premier League football, it’s just a case of how he will adapt to the speed in the top-flight, but working under Bielsa, others may have to get used to the speed in which Leeds play rather than the other way around.

It will be interesting to see how Bielsa uses the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ this season because he has previously dropped back and played as a centre-back also.

If he can succeed with that type of versatility in England’s top-flight then his reputation will only increase.