Mirror

Jurgen Klopp's Whatsapp message that left Rhys Williams "scared" as he called meeting

Mirror logo Mirror 13/03/2021 21:05:46 Samuel Meade

Rhys Williams admits he was "scared" when he received a message from Jurgen Klopp asking to see him.

The young defender has been thrust into the Liverpool first team as they battle a hefty injury list.

Williams has played 13 times with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all sidelined.

The 20-year-old only made his professional debut last year but is now an option in defence.

He revealed that Klopp summoned him with a Whatsapp message that left him "scared" - but it was only to offer some pointers.

He told UMM : "I'd probably say the captain or maybe Virg [are the most active in the WhatsApp group chat].

a man holding a football ball: Rhys Williams was © PARhys Williams was

"Obviously [Van Dijk] has not been playing with his injury, so before every game he is wishing all the boys good luck and stuff like that.

"And the skipper [Jordan Henderson] is the one who is always replying first.

"There was one [message] recently [from Klopp] - 'can you come and see me please.' I was scared!

"But it was just to discuss some stuff that I could do better in games, so it was nothing to be worried about. But I was nervous."

Williams has played domestically and in Europe for the Reds.

But the circumstances that led to his Premier League debut certainly were not ideal.

a person standing in front of a crowd: Jurgen Klopp was keen to help the young defender improve © Getty ImagesJurgen Klopp was keen to help the young defender improve

The centre-half was poised to be on the bench for the visit of Tottenham in December, but a late Matip injury meant he was thrown in.

"I was nervous because I wasn't starting at first, I was on the bench. And then Joel Matip was meant to play," he said.

"He had a problem with his back, so the boss and the first-team coach come to me and said 'be ready because you are starting, Joel has failed his fitness test.'

"So that was say five or six hours before training and I had to get my head together because that was my first game in the Premier League with [Harry] Kane and [Heung-min] Son up top.

"I was nervous but the boys helped me through it."

samedi 13 mars 2021 23:05:46 Categories: Mirror

ShareButton
ShareButton
ShareButton
  • RSS

Suomi sisu kantaa
NorpaNet Beta 1.1.0.18818 - Firebird 5.0 LI-V6.3.2.1497

TetraSys Oy.

TetraSys Oy.