A Leeds United promotion connection helped a Championship side complete their January transfer window recruitment and potentially prevent a career from 'fizzling out.'
Sheffield United fans have had to get used to the unusual and potentially uncomfortable position of welcoming a heavy Leeds United associated presence to Bramall Lane. First it was Leeds fan and Thorp Arch academy product Jamie Shackleton making the short trip down the M1 to join the Blades. Then Patrick Bamford joined up as a free agent after being paid up at Elland Road and departing as a two-time promotion winner. In January they were joined by fellow ex-Whites Joe Rothwell, whose torrid time at Glasgow Rangers was cut short, and Leo Hjelde. Kalvin Phillips made it five, joining on loan from Manchester City where his career has undoubtedly stagnated.
It was agent Bamford who helped seal the deal, at the request of his old sparring partner and former nemesis Chris Wilder. Phillips spoke to Sky Sports this week and said: "Funnily enough it was early December, I was thinking about going out on loan and Pat text me and said Chris [Wilder] has asked me to message and see what you think about coming here to play a few games. At first I was like 'I don't know' but the more I thought about it, I thought 'why not?' It's not going to harm me in any way, it's not going to do anything to my confidence. I want to go out and play as many games as possible and if I'd gone to a Premier League team it would have taken me a bit longer to get into the team and they have less games. I wanted to play as many as possible. I spoke to Pat, to be honest I barely spoke to Chris, I just made my mind up, spoke to my agent and said I'd rather go to Sheffield than anywhere else."
Phillips and Bamford grew close during their time at Leeds as part of a core group of senior players who took Marcelo Bielsa's ideas onto the pitch with title-winning effect. The pair were key to Bielsa's success not only in the Championship but in a stellar first season of Premier League football, with a top 10 finish. They both played for England, although Bamford managed just the one cap, and then Phillips moved on to Manchester City in a £42m move. His collection of winner's medals has grown hugely since then but his time on the pitch has not. Opportunities at City have been few and far between, leading to loan spells with West Ham United and Ipswich Town, neither of which went how he or the clubs would have wanted. An achilles problem derailed his hopes of going out on loan at the start of this campaign and he had to kick his heels at the Etihad until January when he moved to join the ex-Leeds pack in the centre of Sheffield.
Although his new boss Wilder cautioned against expecting too much too soon from Phillips, due to the lack of game time in recent seasons, he came off the bench in the second Championship fixture after completing the move. His quick free-kick sent the ball downfield to Gus Hamer whose pass put Bamford in to score the Blades' goal in a 2-1 defeat by Middlesbrough. Phillips started the very next game and played 90 minutes before being withdrawn. It was his first 90-minute league appearance in 11 months and a sign that match action will flood his way, should he stay fit and perform. The last bit is key, because he does not want his career to go the way others have experienced due to a lack of involvement.
"I think any player that's been in my situation will come out and say not playing has been a major reason for maybe having a dip in their career," he said. "So many players have stayed at a club for so long, not played and their career has fizzled out. I didn't want that to happen and I felt like I've still got some life in me, some football to play and I'm looking forward to the next three or four years."
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