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In the lead-up to next year’s World Cup, Jordan Pickford has spoken out about the competition for England’s No.1 goalkeeper position. With Dean Henderson and the young James Trafford making strides, Pickford remains resolute in his quest to retain his starting role. Despite criticism of England’s recent performance against Andorra, Pickford remains focused on improving and adapting to new managerial tactics.
Tuchel said: “Jordan has been in goal for a long, long time. He earned his place with consistent performances at a high level. Jordan trains at the highest level, and we’re very, very happy with him. He’s doing everything to keep his place because he feels that Dean [Henderson] stepped up and found another gear. This helped his confidence a lot. Then we have the very young James Trafford, who played a fantastic, record-breaking campaign with Burnley and got clean sheets. Hopefully, he can prove himself in the Premier League next season, and then the race is on. I am young as a goalkeeper, and I will keep striving and keep proving points. It is about me keeping the shirt and pushing, and the boys behind me chase. That is where my mentality is strong, and that is where I keep improving. 76 caps, 37 clean sheets … just shy of 50 per cent.”
He continued: “(Against Andorra), I still had the patterns, and my role was to find the right solution, the right pass, not to just kick it long. We have players who want the ball constantly, and it is about making the right decisions. I thought I did that (against Andorra).”
Tuchel added: “We are happy we won but not happy how we played as a team. It is a new manager and a new style of play, and we have to adapt quickly because – just like that – the World Cup will be around the corner.”
The match against Andorra saw England secure a narrow victory, with Harry Kane scoring the only goal in the second half. Despite the win, the performance was met with boos from the 6,950 travelling fans, highlighting the need for the team to adapt swiftly to the new managerial style. Pickford’s comments reflect his awareness of the challenges ahead and his determination to remain a key figure in the national team setup.
As the World Cup approaches, the competition for the starting goalkeeper position intensifies, with Pickford, Henderson, and Trafford all vying for the spot. Pickford’s experience and past performances will be crucial as he aims to fend off the competition and maintain his place as England’s first-choice goalkeeper.
