‘Music to my ears’: Levi Colwill shares what Mauricio Pochettino has told him at Chelsea

Add as preferred source on Google

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill says Mauricio Pochettino promised him he would get a chance at Stamford Bridge this season.

Levi Colwill spent the last campaign out on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion and was a summer target for them, but a conversation with Mauricio Pochettino helped to convince the centre-back to stay.

In Chelsea’s matchday programme for their game against Brighton later tonight, Colwill said: “When I was speaking to the gaffer in the summer, I just wanted to know, ‘If I train well and get the chance, and take it, will I be considered as a first-team Chelsea player and not just a player from the academy?’

“And he said, ‘Yeah, of course, if you do the right things, you’re going to get a chance. Everyone’s got a chance.’ That was music to my ears because then it’s down to me at the end of the day. If I do well, I play. If I don’t do well, I don’t play. That’s how football should work. It’s simple as.”

Brighton owner Tony Bloom confirmed to MyAlbion TV earlier this month that the Seagulls did want to sign the 20-year-old permanently.

But Chelsea were reluctant to sell Colwill, who has been a key player for them this season, while the England U21 international was given assurances from his manager.

Got his chance

Pochettino was not lying. He started Colwill in Chelsea’s first match of the season, a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, and has used him in every game since then.

The Chelsea academy graduate has not been playing in his natural position, with Pochettino using him at left-back.

However, Colwill is getting minutes at the club and it appears that that is all he ever wanted.

This versatility that he is showing is only going to help him get game time and should come in handy, as this Chelsea squad has become susceptible to injury.

It is not like the Blues are light in the left-back position right now, but if Ben Chilwell gets injured and Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen both leave the club, Colwill has shown that it is a role that he can fulfil.