Chelsea defender Colwill looks to cap ‘amazing year’ with England debut

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill said Wednesday he hopes to add to an already “amazing year” by making his England debut.

Colwill is in England’s squad for their Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine in Wroclaw in Poland on Saturday and a friendly against Scotland to mark the 150th anniversary of football’s oldest international fixture in Glasgow on September 12.

Colwill enjoyed a successful season-long loan spell at Brighton before featuring for the England Under-21 side that became European champions.

He has since returned to Stamford Bridge, with the 20-year-old an ever-present under new Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino.

“It has been an amazing year,” Colwill told a news conference on Wednesday as he praised Pochettino’s impact upon his career.

“I think the big thing for me was the first day I came in, him just putting an arm around me and showing me that he respects me as a person and also a player,” he said of the Argentinian.

“That allows me to work my hardest and want to play my best for him.

“Just working under him in general, I know I’m going to improve. I can guarantee that because he’s such a good manager and he will push me. He won’t let me have any off days and that’s what I need.

“Someone like me, if someone lets me go to sleep I might just have a good day or a bad day. But I need someone there to give me that kick up my bum and say ‘keep going’ and that’s what he does.”