Brighton star Adam Webster opens up on his doubts and confidence issue

‘Fans told one player after he made a mistake “don’t worry, you won’t be as bad as Adam Webster”‘: Brighton star opens up on his doubts and confidence issues during a rollercoaster journey from non-League to the brink of England call-up

• An England call-up would underline the level Adam Webster has now reached
• The 27-year-old centre-back has thrived under Graham Potter at Brighton
• He has learned to pick the moments to showcase his ability on the ball
• Webster has received praise from Jamie Carragher for his passing ability 

Now he has proven his Premier League quality, is being hailed as one of the division’s standout defenders and tipped for England call-up, Adam Webster can find some humour when looking back on the days when he was battling confidence issues and things were not going quite as well.

‘I remember once when I wasn’t even playing [in a game],’ he began, a smile at the memory emerging first which eventually developed into full on laughter.

‘I was on the bench and we [Portsmouth] lost 1-0 away at Leyton Orient and one of the other young lads, who was a year above me, tried to play a pass back to the keeper.

Adam Webster has thrived under his current manager Graham Potter at Brighton

‘It got intercepted and they ran and scored, that was the deciding goal and then after the game I was getting pelters on Twitter.

‘People were saying “don’t worry you won’t be as bad as Adam Webster.” I was like “hold on a minute, I didn’t even play!” That always that always sticks out in my head. I can look back and laugh now but it was quite tough at the time.’

Then there were the occasions when the defender’s adventurous style of play would get him a ticking off.

‘I always used to try and dribble the ball out from the back as well and it didn’t always used to come off,’ he said.

Webster has learned to pick the moments to showcase his considerable ability on the ball

‘I remember Mick McCarthy [his former Ipswich manager] used to scream and shout at me to be honest because I might try it in games and maybe get caught.’

Things are a little different now. There is much more pleasant reading waiting for Webster when he opens Twitter for starters.

Meanwhile Webster has thrived under his current manager Graham Potter at Brighton, become an impressive Premier League performer and also learned to pick the moments to showcase his considerable ability on the ball and avoid any more McCarthy-style rollickings.

After his recent outstanding display against Chelsea, Jamie Carragher hailed the Brighton centre-back, 27.

Centre-back Webster (left) has received praise from Jamie Carragher for his passing abilities

‘Adam Webster’s passing out from the back with both feet is better than any other English central defender,’ Carragher posted on Twitter, having also highlighted his qualities compared to England’s other centre-back options ahead of Brighton’s previous game.

‘Carragher gave me a shout-out before the Palace game. I watched the game after when I got in so saw it then,’ Webster said. ‘My phone had blown up when I looked at it after the [Chelsea] game. 

‘I had so many messages, different group chats I’m in that people put it [Carragher’s tweet] in. He had an amazing career and he’s a top pundit now so that was really nice to see.’

The skills that had Carragher purring and have made Webster so comfortable on either foot he never has to think about which one he is using were honed on the streets.

The 27-year-old is being hailed as one of the Premier League’s standout defenders

‘Naturally, I’m right footed,’ he confirmed. ‘But when I was really young I used to practice all the time on my left foot. We used to go out in the street, playing against the kerb, things like that. Jumpers for goalposts. Probably from when I was 13, 14 my left foot was pretty much as good as my right.

‘I’ve always been really comfortable and urge any young player to do the same because it can help you so much during games. All that hard work when I was younger has helped me now.’

It has been a rollercoaster journey for Webster to get to this point. Ahead of Brighton’s FA Cup visit to Tottenham, he opened up about the confidence problems he ‘always struggled with’ when younger.

He said: ‘It wasn’t until I was about 20 or 21 when I had Paul Cook as a manager [at Portsmouth] and he used to tell me how good I was. I don’t think I really believed it before then.

‘Then we were in League Two. I made the step up to the Championship [with Bristol City], I still doubted myself because I wasn’t sure I should be at that level.

Webster did not play regularly in his preferred centre-back position until he was 20 

‘I kicked on again and then made the step up to the Premier League and in that first year I was not sure again, felt I had to prove myself and maybe had a few doubts.

‘But now I’m happy with where I am and am proving to myself that I can play at this level and my confidence is probably better than it’s ever been right now.’

Webster made his Portsmouth debut at 17 but did not play regularly in his preferred centre-back position until he was 20, which did not help. He broke through as a full-back instead.

Being an academy product did not spare him the groans from crowd if he erred while his confidence would also take a hit if he went through even the smallest sticky patch in a game or read any criticism post-match, which he found hard to turn a blind eye to back then.

He said: ‘When I finally established myself as a centre-back I grew confidence from that and I could show the fans exactly what I could do it in that position. That helped me to overcome it.

‘I represented England when I was younger so I always knew I had ability. It was just showing people and getting the opportunity to do so.

‘I counted a while ago how many games I was on the bench for Portsmouth. I made my debut when I was so young, just turned 17, so from 17 to 20 I was on the bench for nearly 100 games. It halted my development. You can’t improve if you’re not playing games.’

 He has opened up about the confidence problems he ‘always struggled with’ when younger

For a player uncertain of his standing at the time, playing for England’s youth sides when he did had its complications.

‘I was in the England set-up from Portsmouth in League One and League Two and I was actually on loan at Aldershot when I got called up,’ he said.

‘So I was playing in the Conference when I played in one of the tournaments we had for the Under-19s and there’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek from Chelsea, for example. Players from Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal.

‘You’re on loan in the Conference and they’re playing for these massive clubs so you’re naturally going to doubt whether you should be there or not. Or I certainly did, anyway.’

But confidence would no longer be something Webster was lacking if he was selected for Gareth Southgate’s seniors.

Webster’s (left) form has prompted calls over a potential England call-up in this World Cup year

And a call-up would not only be justified but also underline the level he has now reached.

Webster said: ‘I’ve proven that I can play in the Premier League and I relish the games we play against the top six clubs. I feel like I’ve always done well against teams like that.

‘That would be no different when I go to England. Obviously it would be a step-up again but I think I’m ready for that challenge and it’s one I’d relish.

‘It’s every kid’s dream to play for their country. I’ve always wanted to do it and maybe not believed that I would do it one day.

‘But I’m in a good place now, happy to keep improving every game and hoping to maybe one day break in.’

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