Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips shared that Marcelo Bielsa left him shocked at the start of season by telling him he wanted him to play as a defensive midfielder.
The 23-year-old shared that after playing in a more attacking role in his 2017/18 campaign, he didn’t expect to be playing in a defensive position.
Phillips then alluded to the fact Bielsa shocked him more by wanting him to play as a centre-back, but admitted he started to understand why the manager made these requests of him, as it was simply how he coached.
“Last season I played more attacking and scored a few goals,” Phillips said in an interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“So I was a bit shocked that he wanted me to play defensive midfield, to be honest.
“Then it was centre-half and I was thinking ‘what’s going on here? He’s going to turn me into a centre-half?’ But when he came in he said he wanted players who can play in more than one position. That’s how he coaches.
“I feel like I’ve done really well. I get people telling me I’ve done really well but it’s kind of hard for me to tell. I thought last season I did all right but some people obviously thought differently.”
OPINION
Bielsa was always going to stir the pot upon arriving at Elland Road in the summer and many Leeds fans are grateful he did. The Leeds manager has transformed the side for the better and he deserves huge credit for having gotten them into a position where they could potentially be in the Premier League next season. Bielsa has worked with a lot of the same players who struggled to deliver the goods last season and no one should argue with his coaching decisions as a result. While Phillips was originally stunned over being asked to play in an unfamiliar position, it has worked wonders for him. The 23-year-old looks a more complete player and has regularly shined bright when featuring as a midfield enforcer this season. Phillips has racked up 43 appearances across all competitions and it’s hard to deny that he has improved from working with Bielsa. Hopefully the midfielder continues to improve under the experienced manager at Elland Road.