6 months ago
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Both young players had a season of proving themselves in the Championship.
As the season winds to a close, loanees Tyler Morton and Nat Phillips debriefed about their time playing in the Championship. Morton spent the season with Hull City, where he impressed in midfield. He appeared in 41 games for them, earning him the extra game time and experience that all young players look for while out on loan.
For Morton, moving from the academy to the first team for Hull City was a big switch.
“It takes time to get used to it, coming from academy football straight to the Championship,” he says. “It’s like a whole different sport in my opinion.
“You’re playing against players who will smash you off the ball, you don’t get that in academy football! But it’s developed my game massively and puts you in a good stead for what you want in the future.”
Phillips, who has more Liverpool first team minutes under his belt, had a disappointing half of a season with Celtic before moving to Cardiff City.
“It’s nice to be back playing games, playing regularly,” Phillips said.
“I can’t complain! I went to Celtic and that obviously didn’t quite work out for a number of reasons. Off the back of that, it was really important that wherever I went I was playing regularly and doing my bit. Fortunately, I have had the chance to do that at Cardiff. I’ve played almost every minute of every game.”
Another Liverpool player, Fabio Carvalho, also found himself at Hull City in January.
“He’s been brilliant, Fabio,” Morton said of his teammate twice over. “He came in and everyone loved him from day one, because he’s such a nice lad, such a mature lad. He’s got on with everyone at the club and I feel like he’s really shone and shown his ability.”
With the season nearly over, both players have the summer to unwind before returning to Merseyside for another preseason with the Reds.
“Looking to the summer, sometimes you can worry and overthink things too much. You can only control what you can control. The plan is to go back in pre-season and just take it from there,” Phillips said.
A new manager and plenty of upheaval is in store for the team this summer. Both men will join their teammates in finding their footing and acclimating to whoever follows Jürgen Klopp.
