Sunderland U21s won 7-1 in Europe with Dennis Cirkin, Dan Neil and Luke O’Nien in the side
Jordan Pickford has been speaking about Sunderland academy coach Mark Prudhoe
The England number one started his career at the Academy of Light, rising through the ranks on Wearside before embarking on loan spells with the likes of Darlington, Alfreton, Burton Albion, Carlisle United, Bradford City, and Preston North End. Pickford made his Premier League debut for Sunderland’s first team in January 2016 before sealing a big money move to his current employers the following year.
The 31-year-old has been with Everton ever since, and alongside his club career, has also enjoyed an impressive international journey with England too. At the time of writing, he has earned 80 caps for the Three Lions - with an 81st likely to come in Thursday evening’s World Cup qualification clash against Serbia - and has also played in two World Cups and two European Championship finals.
Throughout his time at the top level of the professional game, Pickford has developed a reputation for being a strong-willed and resilient character, and in a fresh interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, the stopper has emphasised the role that Prudhoe played in instilling those virtues in him from a young age.
What has Jordan Pickford said about Sunderland academy coach Mark Prudhoe?
Pickford said: “My mentality is probably one of my strongpoints. It’s something I’ve worked on over the years and improved a lot. I don’t like taking credit for myself but sometimes you’ve got to. The work I’ve put in off-the-field to get my mindset right has been good. It’s always good to have challenges. When those challenges come, it’s about rising again and keeping the standards from myself.
“I keep pushing myself day-in, day-out to maintain that high level and I let the lads push me as well. You want challenges, you don’t want it to be an easy ride. It’s something I’ve always done and I will continue to do.”
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He added: “I know when I could’ve done better and I know when I’ve had a bad game. It’s simple. Something I learnt as a young kid was if I’ve done a bad pass, then it’s about making sure the next pass is good. I took that as a young kid from Mark Prudhoe and that’s never changed.”
For his part, Prudhoe is also a former Sunderland goalkeeper, and has helped a number of highly promising talents in their development over the years, including current Black Cats stopper Anthony Patterson, who is a product of the club’s academy system. Prudhoe’s work during his time on Wearside earned him the Lifetime Achievement Award in May 2024 for his outstanding service.
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