When Nathaniel Phillips arrived in Bad Cannstatt on Wednesday, he brought with him plenty of footballing potential and also the rain from his homeland as he swapped the Mersey for the Neckar. The 22-year-old central defender, who clocks in at almost 1.90 metres tall, has been under contract with reigning UEFA Champions League winners Liverpool since 2016. He joined up with the VfB squad on Wednesday afternoon however, as they began preparations for the start of their DFB Cup campaign in Rostock on Monday (kick-off 18:30 CEST).
At the open training session at the Robert-Schlienz-Stadion, "Nat" Phillips got to know his new coach and team-mates a little better as well as the hardy band of VfB fans who braved the inclement weather. The supporters had come along to see the first ever British player to pull on a VfB jersey with the first-team squad.
Phillips was joined by Mario Gomez, who has recovered from his muscle problems and was able to take full part in the session. The fans huddled under their umbrellas got to see various formations tried out, while the VfB goalkeepers showed off their skills at the opposite end of the pitch. Gregor Kobel proved to be the pick of the crop as an outfield player, finding the back of the net on a number of occasions on a smaller training pitch.
