Nathan Patterson has opened up on the pre-season phone call he received from Frank Lampard that helped kick start his Everton career.
Patterson completed a move to Goodison Park from Rangers back in January. He arrived at Everton from Ibrox for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £12m.
The Blues had initially had two previous offers for Patterson rejected by Rangers. However, their final bid was enough to secure the services of the highly sought-after defender.
CONNOR O'NEILL: Gareth Southgate England call should be welcomed by Everton as major distraction avoided
JOE THOMAS: Everton fans can be proud of what Anthony Gordon and Dwight McNeil are doing
But Patterson initially struggled to make a meaningful impact at the club. He was handed his first-team debut against Boreham Wood in the FA Cup, but despite an impressive showing in the first team, he was replaced by Richarlison at the break as the Blues changed their shape for the second-half.
And that was the last time Everton supporters saw Patterson last season after he picked up an ankle injury that ruled him out the remainder of the campaign. But the full-back has, so far this season, been one of Everton’s stand-out performers.
And speaking to MailSport, Patterson has not only revealed what his boss said to him following the change, but also explained how a pre-season talk from Lampard lifted his confidence and convinced him they can be successful together.
He said: “At 21, I’ve had (Rafa) Benitez, (Steven) Gerrard and Lampard as gaffers – which isn’t too bad! I’ve taken different bits from all of them. Gerrard and Lampard have done everything in football and you realise just how much dedication they’ve put in to reach the top.
“They’re quite similar but obviously have small differences in their styles. They’re both top guys and, above everything else, winners. They also know what it’s like to be a top-level footballer which is a big help.
"They have so much passion for the game. You can just sense how much it means to them to win. The gaffer here gave me my debut in the FA Cup, which was great, but I was subbed at half-time.
"That was difficult to take but the manager explained it wasn’t to do with my performance and I had to accept his decision. I didn’t really get an opportunity after that but he called me in the summer to say it was going to be a big season for me.
“So I knew I had a chance of starting. I worked really hard and I’ve managed to hit the ground running. I started our first Premier League game this season and have hopefully impressed. I’m enjoying it now. The fans seem to have taken to me. They want young players to do well and they can see I’m a passionate person.
“You feel the passion from them too. It’s similar to Ibrox, you know how much they want to win and that pushes you on. There’s pressure to perform and win but they appreciate hard work and I’ll always give 100 per cent. It’s a great environment to be in.”
READ NEXT:
-
'Bit of a joke' - Colin Harvey names Alan Ball as one of Everton's two 'great' players
-
Anthony Gordon makes honest Everton form admission and reveals Frank Lampard demand
-
Ben Godfrey hands Frank Lampard major Everton injury boost and makes bold U21 claim
- Everton new stadium hits another 'milestone moment' as 'game-changer' claim made
