‘My family were not happy’: Kalvin Phillips reveals ‘toughest’ moment with Pep Guardiola weight comments

Kalvin Phillips, a former Leeds United player, is presently on a season-long loan with West Ham.

After struggling to make ends meet throughout the first part of his six-year Manchester City deal, Kalvin Phillips completed a loan move to West Ham United at the beginning of the year, seizing a critical opportunity.

In 2022, Leeds United’s young players departed Elland Road to play for the Premier League champions and learn from one of the most renowned managers in sports history. For Phillips, who acknowledged that making the move was a “dream come true,” the Whites received an initial payment of £42 million.

The 28-year-old has had a difficult time establishing himself at his current club, though, after a less than ideal stint at City. Under Guardiola, Phillips made just six starts and mostly played off the bench. The desire to accrue valuable playing time before Euro 2024 drove him to choose to move to West Ham on loan.

The former Leeds icon has since discussed his tricky start to life at City, and while admitting it has not been ‘a nightmare’, he feels he has ‘lost the fire within him’ over the past 18 months. Speaking to a number of media outlets, Phillips opened up and revealed there was ‘a few’ tough moments at City, but one in particular stands out.

“I think the hardest part was probably after the World Cup when Pep came out and said I was overweight. He was right to say that, but there are different ways to go about it. I didn’t disagree with him, but it did take a big hit to my confidence and how I felt at City. My family was not happy about it, either, especially my mother.” Phillips claimed he wasn’t told that Guardiola wanted him to return immediately following the World Cup, and despite the “misunderstanding,” the manager was “very frustrated with me coming back 1.5kg over my weight target.”

“I just took it on the chin. Me being the right professional, I probably should have gone in the day after the tournament finished but it’s one of those things that you live and learn.”

Guardiola’s remarks concerning Phillips’ weight were widely reported at the time, and it provided foe supporters with fodder for taunts. Some people appear to be still making fun of the Spaniard’s remarks after Phillips was taunted by Manchester United fans during their most recent match against West Ham. The Reds fans’ remarks were published by Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, who asserted that the loanee from Irons was ‘connecting with them’.

Phillips said, “I’ve had it my entire career, especially at Leeds with Marcelo Bielsa.” “Saying I need to take care of myself in a professional manner, without being overweight. If we had the day free following a game, I’ve always been the one to have fun. Even so, I would put forth twice as much effort to make up for it.

“I believe that was the main cause of it. After Pep and Bielsa chatted, Bielsa brought it up and so forth. Considering how professional I still am, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest.”