Kevin Nolan has stated a lack of minutes for Kalvin Phillips prior to his West Ham switch was just one reason why his loan spell never worked out.
The Manchester City midfielder headed to the London Stadium on loan in January this year in a bid to reignite his career after a difficult time with the Premier League champions.
In his time in east London, Phillips started just three of his ten appearances and picked up a red card in his fourth match for the club, with his performances seeing him miss out on England’s Euro 2024 squad.
Having emerged as one of English football’s top defensive midfielders during his hugely successful time with Leeds, Phillips seems to have lost his way in his career, something that former Hammers coach Nolan is hoping he can put right.
Speaking on the talkSPORT Breakfast show about his time at West Ham, Nolan said: “We put him in right away because we thought we should put him in and just let him play and get him going, but it didn’t work out.
“To be fair to him, he’s such a lovely lad. You want him to do well so were there and we were still going and giving him the support he needed.
“You had the boss speaking, just saying he’s going to need support over the next couple of months and we gave him that.
“I think he’s seeing it and I think what he sort of realised in the early months was that he missed a lot of football and it was difficult to get back to that level so I quickly.
“It’s great to see that he had a run-out last night and you know, hopefully, on the back of a good pre-season he’ll get a nice move away because that’s what’s being talked about, but he needs the right support and the right club.”
Everton could be set to offer Phillips an escape route from his City nightmare, talkSPORT understands, something that Nolan says could be a good move for the midfielder.
Asked about a move to Everton, Nolan said: “Sean Dyche is someone who would give him the support that he needs.
“He’s got a really good backroom team and how they use the fitness coaches so being around them will help him.
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“He’ll also be at home, which was a major thing with him coming down to London.
“He’d just had a baby, but everybody forgets about all of those things when we’re moving here, there and everywhere and our wives and kids are going off to another place while we get them set or they’re looking at houses.
“To come and try and bed in when his missus has just had a baby and stuff like that, it was a difficult time for him – off the field, as well as on.
“So hopefully he gets the opportunity to go to a club where he’s fit, he’s ready and on level with the other players.
“I think he has (got a fire in his belly) and it’s not for anyone else, but it’s sort like ‘I’ll show you’ and it’s for himself more than anything.
“He’s definitely got the ability and I truly hope that he gets back to where he was a couple of years ago and I’ve got no doubt that when he does, England will come knocking again.”