“He’s costing Maresca points” “He needs to learn more from him” – William Gallas tells Chelsea star where he needs to improve
William Gallas, a former defender for Chelsea, has voiced both admiration and concern for Levi Colwill. He described the 21-year-old as someone who could grow into “a monster,” but stressed the importance of experienced mentorship for his development.
Speaking to Prime Casino, Gallas said, “Levi Colwill, he’s 21 years old. But it’s a shame that the boy could not play maybe one or two more years with Thiago Silva. If he was playing with Thiago Silva for two more years, he would develop into a monster.”
Gallas highlighted the challenges Colwill faces as Chelsea’s defensive leader at such a young age, stating, “Right now, because nobody is around, he has to be the boss of the defence, but he’s still too young. He can’t manage his defence line because at the moment he’s thinking about his performance first.”
Drawing comparisons to Liverpool’s defensive structure, Gallas praised Virgil van Dijk’s mentorship of Ibrahima Konaté:
“If you look at Liverpool, they have the best defence in the Premier League this season. Van Dijk has nurtured Konaté. He has given Konaté the opportunity to go to another level and Liverpool have been rewarded with a monster. That partnership, they are very strong, because van Dijk, even if he’s a captain, he is still the boss of the defence line. Konaté, when you look, he doesn’t speak really to the defence. He just follows what van Dijk is doing. That’s how Konaté has gone to another level.”
Gallas suggested that a similar mentoring dynamic would benefit Colwill:
“With Levi Colwill, he’s 21. He has already played many games for Chelsea. At the moment, I don’t see any improvement in his game, so that’s why it’s not easy for him. If he had someone to learn from, a top-class player like van Dijk or Thiago, he would be well on his way to becoming one of the best central defenders in England.”
As Chelsea look to solidify their defence, Gallas’ comments highlight the importance of pairing young talents like Colwill with seasoned veterans to unlock their full potential.