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Levi Colwill has revealed a chat with a Liverpool icon persuaded him to sign a new contract at Chelsea.
The 20-year-old defender signed a new six-year contract last month after a successful season-long loan spell at Brighton.
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It was at the AMEX Stadium that Colwill came under the wing of former Reds star Adam Lallana, who advised the promising centre-back on where he should play his football.
At the center of the discussion was new Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino – Lallana’s former manager during his time at Southampton.
And Lallana’s stamp of approval was enough for Colwill, who was being chased by Liverpool and the Seagulls this summer, to commit his future to Stamford Bridge.
“I’ve had conversations with Adam,” Colwill told the Mirror.
“And he told me what a good guy he (Pochettino) was and he thinks he’s a very good manager and I took that into account when I made my decision.
“When I finally met him (Pochettino), I realized everything Adam said was true.”
Despite Chelsea’s indifferent start to the season, Colwill is confident the west Londoners have the right man in the hot seat and, more importantly, the best-placed manager to help them develop.
He said: “He’s a great manager, he really puts me at ease and allows me to play my best game. I think with him at the club it has changed so much and now we want to move on.
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“I think the most important thing for me is that on the first day of my arrival he puts an arm around me and shows me that he respects me as a person and also as a player.
“It allows me to work my best and makes me want to play my best for him.
“It’s a big difference, it shows that there are two sides when the majority of managers maybe look at you as a footballer, which they don’t.
“It helps me play my best football. I know I’m going to improve. I can guarantee that. He’s such a good manager and he’ll push me, he won’t give me rest days, that’s What i need .
“Someone like me, if someone lets me sleep, I could have a good day or a bad day. I need someone to be there to kick me and say “keep going”. That’s what he does.
Colwill was recently called up to the senior England squad and was quick to recognize the role Lallana played in helping him to the level he is currently displaying.
“I’m a calm person and sometimes I need someone to give me a little push,” Colwill explained.
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“And at first, I didn’t really understand why he (Lallana) was always on top of me.
“But once it clicked in my head, I realized he was only trying to help me. I was happy and lucky to play alongside him and he definitely helped me.
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