Dominic Calvert-Lewin: My dad put a bit of pressure on me, but it has helped

Dominic CalvertLewin is one of the finest strikers in the English Premier League currently The English footballer played for clubs such as Sheffield United Stalybridge Celtic and Northampton Town before moving to Everton in 2016 Since then CalvertLewin has appeared in 139 matches for the club and scored 39 goals The 24yearold footballer seems to be at the beginning of a peak in his career and is raring to go In an interview he speaks about his early days in football his confidence his inspiration and moreExcerpts from the interviewYOU SEEM TO EXUDE BELIEF WHERE DOES THAT INNER CONFIDENCE COME FROMIrsquom not entirely sure really itrsquos just a part of who I am who Irsquove been you know Irsquove always believed that I would eventually get to the premier league and I would play in the premier league for whatever reason that would just the belief I had in myself My dad was always the goto man for football advice hersquod come up and down the country to watch me from being a young kid and I think it was his belief in me which kind of passed onto me and I had it in myself you know If I didnrsquot have a good game he always believed because he knew what I was capable of that I was capable of more so sometimes he did put a bit of pressure on me but I think thats helped me at this level nowWHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF FIRST KICKING A FOOTBALL WAS IT THEN WHEN YOU REALISED YOU WANTED TO BE A PROIrsquoll be honest I always wanted to be a footballer from the moment I joined the Sheffield United academy I was aware from a young age that if you played in the academy you had a good chance of progressing as a footballer so I think I used to play the age above quite often from the age of under 11s under 12s Irsquod always play for the 13s14s and when I was 14 Irsquod play for the 16s so I always played up which kind of everyone was always bigger than me because I was only small at the time the only skinner so I think that helped me progress quicker but just from a young boy I always wanted to play footballWHEN YOU THINK OF THE NUMBER 9 WHAT COMES TO MINDIrsquod say goals Becoming Evertons number 9 is something I worked very hard for It wasnrsquot easy at first when I first joined the club I was 19 I played out wide never in my whole life had I played as a winger before and next thing I know Irsquom playing in the premier league as a rightwinger or a leftwinger and then I only became a centre forward when I was 17 Then Irsquom leading the line in the premier league when Irsquom 20 years old so it was all learning for me I wasnrsquot going tosome young players hit the ground running straight away and therersquos all this hype but for me I was more concerned with just keeping a steady upward trajectory of progression and small steps small steps and keep progressing to where I am now and thatrsquos still the same kind of belief that I have now and i just want to keep progressing and just keep reaching the heightsBEEN SOME BRILLIANT NUMBER 9S OVER THE YEARShellipWHICH ONES DO YOU TAKE INSPIRATION FROM AND WHYEasy Big Dunc Big Dunc I see him every day I speak to him every day Hersquos been great ever since I joined the club even when I wasnrsquot a mainstay in the starting 11 he still believed in me from the start and he would do extra finishing drills with me and whatever it may be and perhaps if I was going through a tough time he would say lsquoyoursquore the man la yoursquore the manrsquo which you know to hear that from big Dunc whorsquos been there and done it scored the goals he has Everton fans love big Dunc hersquos been a great mentor for me mentally more than anything to kind of keep focused and keep track on what Irsquom doingYOU SEEM LIKE YOUrsquoRE LOVING LIFE AT THE MOMENTYeah Irsquom enjoying my football particularly under this manager He understands me understands who I am as a person who I am as a person which is the most important thing and he just gives me that belief you know I enjoyed playing I enjoy winning games but when wersquore not winning I donrsquot enjoy it as much so as long as we keep winning and I keep scoring then happy daysCatch all the live action of Premier League and tunein to watch Everton v Crystal Palace on Monday April 5 2021 at 1030 PM only on Star Sports Select