For Levi Colwill, the journey from his hometown of Southampton to Cobham and the Chelsea training ground was a significant part of his formative years. Taken into the club’s academy at under-nine level, he would make the trip with his close friend Jamal Musiala, who is now at Bayern Munich; one of their parents doing the driving. This continued until Chelsea transferred Musiala into local accommodations. They did not do the same for Colwill, who continued to travel up and down from Southampton, his parents never complaining, nor his younger brother, who would also be in the car. Colwill often reflects on those hours on the road, the sacrifices of his family, which motivate him.
The commute became less taxing when Colwill moved to Cobham; as he set about establishing himself as a Chelsea first-team player – a mission that he pushed in eye-catching style under Mauricio Pochettino last season and has continued to do under Enzo Maresca. Colwill has been a fixture at centre-half for Maresca, a part of the team’s impressive start which has carried them to fourth in the Premier League. His form has brought him England selection; he is preparing for the Nations League ties against Greece on Thursday and Finland on Sunday.
Yet, it probably says everything about Colwill that he has chosen to leave the Cobham bubble, where many of his teammates live and hang out, and return to live with his family in Southampton. The 21-year-old is back to doing that drive, insisting it is OK, even though it has to take him more than an hour in each direction. Colwill can only see the upside. He feels enriched to be close to family and friends, some of whom he met at City Central Youth club where he took his early steps as a player. The off-field contentment has brought on-field benefits.
Colwill senses opportunity with England, even if it may not come in central defence, but rather at left-back, where the interim manager, Lee Carsley, has not called up any specialists. It is because of the dearth of them. Not that Colwill sees the role he played in the 2-0 win over Republic of Ireland in September as that of a pure left-back. With Trent Alexander-Arnold pushing into midfield from right-back, Colwill was on the left of a back three in possession.
Colwill cannot help but smile when he discusses his Chelsea teammate Cole Palmer, who is with him with England – and in red-hot form. “He’s not the same Cole Palmer against me [in training],” Colwill says. “No, I’m only joking. Of course he is amazing.” It is no surprise to hear Colwill support Carsley’s claim to become the permanent England manager. The pair are close, Carsley having given Colwill all 11 of his England Under-21 caps.
