There are different skills necessary when playing league and non-league football. The different styles of play, levels of exposure, and pressure and responsibilities suit different temperaments. Some people never want to progress out of non-league football. Others use it as a stepping stone to bigger leagues and even international tournaments. But who are some of Leeds’s biggest non-league to league players?
Kalvin Phillips: One to Watch
Beginning his career for local Leeds team Wortley, Phillips wowed Leeds United managers and managed to secure a spot at the club and work his way up. Phillips’ first match was an exciting 4-3 loss to Wolves in the Championship back in 2015. Yet, fast forward six years and the Leeds midfielder is one of the more impressive players for England’s team at Euro 2020.
Phillips is the opposite of Phil Foden, who was mentioned pre-tournament as having the potential to be the best player at Euro 2020 due to his sublime ability. Foden is symbolic of the new golden generation of footballers for England who came up at the end of the previous golden generation. Perhaps Phillips’s success in the Euro 2020 could reverse the negative impact of the expression ‘doing a Leeds.’
Kalvin Phillips has cited the struggles he experienced as part of the reason he focuses so well on football. Coming from a place of disadvantage and using his natural abilities to help provide for his family is as inspirational as some of his footwork on the pitch. However, his performance against Scotland did see some critics poke Phillips for ‘doing nothing.’ The lacklustre display in that game came from the complacency that England had from winning their first match against Croatia, so Phillips can’t solely be blamed. That being said, some have suggested that to be a real rising star, there have to be more standout moments.
The Leeds Player Pipeline
Leeds has a habit of finding local talent and jumpstarting their careers, helping players to achieve their full potential. For example, Premier League players, Aaron Lennon and James Milner, both hailed from Leeds and were spotted by the club. Lennon and Milner were signed and immediately started for the league team, with the former also going on to sign with Adidas for a ludicrous boots deal. Some may argue that their time at Leeds was during the city’s rough patch, yet regardless, the quality of the players does show that the city is home to some of the most formidable football talent.Kalvin Phillips is a homegrown success story. Representing Leeds in an international championship is a huge achievement. As the opening games have progressed, many pundits and armchair fans alike have spoken about Phillips as one of the England squad’s star players. Sent from my iPhone