Kalvin Phillips recently expressed his frustration with being constantly questioned about his fitness, particularly after Pep Guardiola criticized his weight during his time at Manchester City. Seeking to revitalize his career, the England international made a season-long loan move to newly promoted Ipswich Town during the summer transfer window. After a challenging 18 months at Man City, where he struggled to secure game time, Phillips endured an unsuccessful loan spell at West Ham last season. His time at Man City saw him start just six matches in two years following his £42 million transfer from Leeds, with a mere two appearances in the Premier League. Phillips has openly shared that Guardiola’s comments about his weight upon returning from the 2022 World Cup were the most difficult time in his career.
Kalvin Phillips voiced his annoyance at a ‘storyline’ when clubs started to pay attention to his physique.
Guardiola described Phillips as ‘carrying extra weight’ upon his comeback from the 2022 World Cup.
Phillips is looking to revitalize his career at Ipswich after facing some challenges in the previous seasons. In a chat with former teammate Patrick Bamford on the BBC podcast ‘My Mate’s A Footballer’, Phillips mentioned that the focus on his fitness escalated after comments made by Guardiola. This became a prominent topic whenever clubs expressed interest in signing him. Despite this, Phillips commended Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna for his support in helping him return to his peak performance. McKenna emphasized the importance of body composition and outlined a plan to help Phillips regain his form from his time at Leeds, setting the stage for future success.
Phillips flourished while playing under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United, who challenged him to reach a specific weight goal.
The midfielder established himself as a mainstay in Gareth Southgate’s England squad while he was playing for Leeds. Earlier this year, Guardiola apologized to Phillips for publicly calling him overweight, leading to Phillips being asked to stay away from the club during Christmas in 2022 for not meeting a weight goal.
Guardiola expressed his regret in February, admitting that he was sorry for his comments. Phillips had experienced a remarkable ascent at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa, helping the team secure promotion to the Premier League. He went on to win 31 caps for England and played a crucial role in the team’s journey to the Euro 2020 final.
Bielsa had set a weight target for Phillips, emphasizing the importance of body composition, a practice that Phillips has continued to follow at Ipswich. Since joining Ipswich on loan for the season, Phillips has started in four games under McKenna.
Philips announced his achievement of meeting Bielsa’s goal upon returning to Ipswich on loan.
Kieran McKenna, the manager of Ipswich, praised Phillips’ progress, stating that he is getting better with each game. McKenna emphasized that Phillips has the potential to make a significant contribution to the team as they strive to stay in the Premier League after being promoted. Following Ipswich’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, McKenna noted Phillips’ growing confidence on the ball and his hard work off it. Despite a minor injury interrupting his rhythm, Phillips quickly adapted back into the team after a short training period. McKenna highlighted that Phillips is enjoying his time with the team, relishing the daily grind, and showing that he can play a crucial role on the field.