Mason Holgate admits he considered leaving Everton under Rafa Benitez
Mason Holgate admits he considered leaving Everton under Rafa Benitez, but he’s enjoying his football under Frank Lampard.
The 25-year-old dropped down the pecking order at the club, and hardly featured under Rafa Benitez, with the Spaniard preferring the partnership of Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey.
Holgate has suggested that Lampard has given him the confidence and that the former Chelsea boss is a breath of fresh air for the club.
He said, as quoted by Liverpool Echo: “Everton is all I’ve known as an adult and it was going to be a very difficult decision.
“But if I didn’t think I was bringing anything to Everton, I’d feel I was hindering the club and wouldn’t want that and I’d believe I could give something elsewhere. No matter how much you love one club, it is a short career.
“To be honest, I’ve not felt that level of confidence in me for a long time.
“It’s been a bit more relaxed with this manager, I can play my game, and, hopefully, keep doing well for the team.
“I feel I have had more support to show what I can do – and consistently playing games in my position is a huge help because I can get settled and know what I am doing.”
Confidence
Holgate is a good defender but he needs to push himself to get even better.
Benitez probably didn’t rate him highly and the chances were very high that he could have been sold in the summer had he stayed on.
However, it seems, Holgate is enjoying his football under Lampard who keeps faith in his abilities.
The real challenge for Holgate will be to get into the side when Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey return from injury.
He can be a good squad player and Lampard can give him enough game-time in a season, but is that what he is looking at?
Holgate must work really hard and give Lampard a selection headache. At the moment, he is only filling in when others are absent.
Mina is perennially injured, but edging out either Godfrey or Michael Keane from the starting line-up should be his biggest challenge.
In other Everton news, a reliable journalist has confirmed that two teenagers have been training with the first team ahead of the FA Cup game against Boreham Wood.
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