Crystal Palace midfielder Killian Phillips says his loan switch to Aberdeen can help him kick towards his dream of playing senior football for Ireland.
The 21-year-old has signed with the Scottish Premiership Dons until the end of the season, having been linked to a Pittodrie switch from the English Premier League club last summer.
Phillips, whose professional career began in Ireland with Drogheda United, racked up 30 appearances on loan with English League One club Wycombe Wanderers in the first half of the 2023-2024 term.
The Republic of Ireland under-21 international left Drogheda in January 2022 to sign for Palace and made his first-team debut in August of that year against Oxford United in a Carabao Cup tie.
Good to have you with us Killian 🔴#StandFree pic.twitter.com/CXoKrscBhd
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) January 29, 2024
Phillips was Shrewsbury Town’s young player of last season after enjoying a fruitful period on loan at the English League One side.
And Dons manager Barry Robson said he was “pleased to bring Killian to the club as he’s a player we’ve admired for some time.”
The midfielder could make his Aberdeen debut in Tuesday’s home eighth v seventh Premiership clash against Dundee.
Irish chances start with club displays
Phillips, speaking to the club’s Red TV, explained passionately how much it means to play for Ireland 21s.
His goal in his starting debut against leaders Italy in the UEFA Under-21 Championship in November’s 2-2 draw meant the world to him.
He said: “I just wanted to play for Ireland once – at any age group. I didn’t even care about going over to England. All I cared about was playing for Ireland.
“We’re second right now in the group of death behind Italy. We’re in a good spot.
“I made my first competitive start against Italy in November and scored and won man of the match – it was mental. I love pulling on the green jersey. Hopefully I can now progress and push on to the first-team, but that starts by having good performances at this club.
“It was tough. Italy scored with the last kick of the game, which was gutting, but we’re well in it.
“We have Italy and Turkey away, so it will be tough, but with the squad that we have and the characters we have in the squad hopefully we should be the first Ireland team to progress to the 21s Championships.
💬 "I love working hard and I don't mind a tackle either."
Killian Phillips sat down with RedTV after spending his first day at Cormack Park.
RedTV subscribers can watch in full now ⤵️
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) January 29, 2024
“We have a scary amount of good talent coming through, especially in the 21s at the moment. We all just love playing for Ireland. That goes a long way.
“It’s been a rough few years for Ireland fans, but with a new gaffer coming in and a lot of the younger lads progressing, it will hopefully be an exciting time to be an Irish fan over the next few years.”
McGrath going great for Ireland
And with Dons star Jamie McGrath, 27, already a key figure in the Ireland senior side, Phillips would love to be country team-mates – as well as now club colleagues for the next few months.
He said: “Jamie is always very good when he plays for Ireland. He’s one of our most creative players. I enjoy watching Jamie play for Ireland, so hopefully we can play well together with Aberdeen and hopefully in a few years time we can play together in the Irish first-team.”
Grimmer gave nod towards Aberdeen
And he took advice from ex-Aberdeen defender Jack Grimmer, who plays for Wycombe, when the chance to head to the Granite City arose.
He said: “I spoke to a few boys who had played for Aberdeen and they told me about the fans and the city.
“I spoke to Jack Grimmer and he didn’t have a bad word to say about Aberdeen. He’s one of the nicest people I’ve met in football.
“I am excited to get going. There are a lot of big games coming up in the league. I am looking for a new challenge and I’m looking forward to get going. I know how big and passionate the fanbase is. I love playing in front of passionate fans, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Next up, our first home fixture of 2024 🏠
Join us tomorrow night 👇
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) January 29, 2024
Midfielder eyes debut and Dons win
Tuesday’s home date with Dundee is another big-pressure match for Aberdeen after losing 2-0 to Hearts on Saturday.
A win would see them leapfrog opponents Dundee into seventh and Phillips says the side must aim for a steady climb – starting against the Dark Blues.
He added: “You pick up two or three wins and you can move right up the table, which is so tight in the middle.
“We have a couple of games in hand, so I’m hoping to come in and we can hit the ground running and we can pick up points to move up the table.
“I didn’t play at the weekend, so I’m looking forward to Tuesday. Hopefully I make my debut. I want to get to the stadium and see all the fans. I’m looking forward to it.”
Phillips will give 100% every time
Phillips, who said moving to Palace was “a dream come true”, thanked Wycombe for his enjoyable first half to the season.
And he offered his own take on what Dons fans can expect from him while at Pittodrie.
He said: “I am comfortable playing anywhere, attacking, holding, or probably my best position is box-to-box where I can round the pitch and work hard.
“I like to get on the ball. I like playing football, getting on the ball and I love working hard. I don’t mind a tackle either.
“People can expect me to give 100% every game and hopefully I can chip in with a few goals as well. I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans.”