Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back playing and scoring goals for Leeds and says his first summer as a free agent has made him realize how much he has missed it.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has had a “long journey” before feeling at home again. Calvert-Lewin is enjoying what he calls the ‘second phase of his career’, enjoying his football and scoring goals as much as ever at Leeds United.
It was a sign of Calvert-Lewin’s mental strength that he decided to leave Everton and become a free agent last summer in search of a fresh start and new adventure.
There were other opportunities and it would have been easy to jump at the first offer. But as a proud Yorkshireman, I knew Leeds was the right choice.
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Calvert-Lewin said: “It felt strange at first, but I can tell you I knew it from my first day at Leeds. Hearing the Yorkshire accent made me feel at home! All the staff spoke like me.
“I felt very comfortable and it’s a very close-knit group of players. It feels free to be enjoying soccer the way I am. I’ve always known that I play my best soccer when I’m having fun.”
“The atmosphere at Elland Road is special, really special. I’ve played there as an opposition player and it was hostile. To be able to do that now as a Leeds player is very special.”
Calvert-Lewin spent nine years at Everton, but it remains unusual for an England player of his age to suddenly become a free agent.
That was exactly his choice. He wanted to try something new. But even for an established striker in the Premier League, there was a sense of uncertainty and risk.
A unique summer with his wife and daughter helping him remember how much he loves the game.
Calvert-Lewin said, “My mental strength is one of my greatest assets. You cannot succeed at this level as I have been successful without a certain amount of resilience, solidity, and mental strength.”
“For me, I always feel like my career is about having to prove something. My dad always said, ‘Take a detour.'” For me, there’s nothing I haven’t experienced before.
“There were quiet moments where I doubted myself – and that’s inevitable – things are swirling, there’s a lot going on and you have to stay calm. But we’re all human. Uncertainty affects everyone. As footballers, it’s the same for you.”
“My wife played a vital role in those decisions and provided me with calm judgment when I felt a little shaky or unsure if I was making the right choice, and I can’t thank her enough for that.
“During the summer I spent a lot of time with my daughter and looking back now I remember scoring goals and having good moments and putting her on the swings as everyone else went back to pre-season.
“But this summer really taught me two things. On the one hand, it gave me a vacation with my family that I wouldn’t normally get. And on the other hand, it made me miss soccer so much and it made me realize that I’m not done yet.”
“I feel like this is the second phase of my career. There’s still so much I want to achieve and do. That’s very motivating, so when the next opportunity comes, I’m going to grab it with both hands.”
Calvert-Lewin is eloquent, bright, and engaging. It’s easy to see why he’s already a strong voice in the dressing room.
And he’s also realistic enough to accept that he always needs to win over the Leeds fan base when he emerges as a free transfer just four days before the start of the season.
“I was aware that there would be mixed reviews among the fans about my signing for Leeds,” Calvert-Lewin said. “When I joined, they were probably expecting a big money contract and what that meant.
“But I know the quality that I have and what I bring. And I slowly started to feel the change, and when I started showing my quality and what I bring to the table, it’s great to feel the support from the fan base because I always knew that would happen.”
Calvert-Lewin admits he has had to change his perspective about his fitness record – he has played a lot of football over the past two seasons – but believes he is currently playing the best football of his career.
“When you get some tar on some brush and it’s hard to shake it off. I think that’s probably what happened to me too. But here I am, 28 years old, feeling strong, confident and in a great position.”
“The best way to change the narrative and prove people wrong, if that’s what people want to say, is to put in a good performance, win games and help Leeds United stay in the Premier League and basically be successful.
“There are many moments where you feel like the current is against you, but you have to keep swimming, keep pushing, keep hoping the tide will change. I’m swimming with the current right now and I want to keep that momentum going.”
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