Phillips' First Interview
Ashley Phillips narrowly missed out on working with Ian Foster in the England age groups setup. In fact, Phillips’ first game for the England Under-19s was the first after Foster had moved on from that role.
However, Phillips has cited Foster’s arrival at Argyle as Head Coach as a factor in moving to Argyle on loan.
The 18-year-old central defender signed on loan from Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, and he says that some of his young team-mates in North London have given their endorsement to Foster.
“I know a couple of lads at Spurs who have played with him when they won the Under-19s Euros and they spoke highly of him,” Phillips told Argyle TV. “That's influenced me to come and work under him.
“I want to develop, and having a manager who's worked in youth football, who knows how to develop a young player, that's what's made me want to come to this club because I know he's going to get the best out of me.
“I'm really excited to be here. When Argyle came in for me, I was immediately drawn to the team. I'm very excited to kick on and see what I can do for the club. I want to prove to myself that I can play first-team football.”
Soon after turning 17, Phillips made his first-team debut for Blackburn Rovers, and he played 14 times for the Lancashire side before being bought by Tottenham during the summer of 2023.
The tall defender has enjoyed a meteoric rise at a young age, and says he believes Argyle to be a perfect platform to gain more experience, and assist the Pilgrims in their first year back in the Sky Bet Championship.
“[My debut] was an enjoyable moment for me; something that I'll always remember, playing Championship football, and I feel like I'm comfortable at this level. I do think I can help Argyle this season, and I see the way they want to play, especially with the new gaffer coming in. I understand what he wants to do. I think this is the right club for me.
“It's always tough as a young centre-back. A lot of gaffers tend to go for more experience at the back. Physically, I've always been tall, so I've always been able to compete on that side.
“I think that's what's helped me make my debut so young in the Championship. It’s one of my strengths, being an athletic centre-back, which is the way you've got to be as a modern-day centre-back.
“I never dreamt to be this high up so early in my career, but it's definitely helped me mature into a young man, because 18 is still young for football and I've still got plenty of years left in me.
“It's been quite a journey, but now I'm just ready to play first-team football, play week-in, week-out, get used to what it feels like.”
