Jordan Pickford is now targeting 100 England caps with the Everton goalkeeper set to move ahead of Gordon Banks when the Three Lions take on Albania on Friday night
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England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford will move ahead of Gordon Banks in the list of England keeper appearance makers
Jordan Pickford will put his name ahead of Gordon Banks at Wembley on Friday night and already has his sights set on being only the second goalkeeper to win 100 caps for England. If, as seems certain, Thomas Tuchel sticks with the Everton man as his number one, Pickford will make his 74th international appearance, one more than Banks and one behind the 75 made by Joe Hart and David Seaman.
And the 31-year-old clearly believes his England days are far from numbered, saying: “Every time I have pulled on an England shirt, I have always performed, I have always stepped up to the plate. I have always taken it in my stride. And at club level, I’ve been very consistent over four or five years now. I’m learning about the game more and have more maturity.
“When I first came on the scene, I was that young 23-year-old keeper learning his trade. Now I’ve learnt it, it’s about maintaining it and how can I improve each day and be consistent over a number of games. And I think I’ve done that.
“And I think that is why I am level with Gordon Banks and two more caps until I match Joe Hart and David Seaman and I have always looked up to Harty, he was the number one what I was a young kid and I’ve always wanted to be Joe Hart so it will be a great honour to get those two caps and push forward and get ahead of them.”
And after that, Pickford wants to join the elite club of England centurions, which currently has only nine members. He went on: “When you are a kid you dream of playing for England so the first milestone was always to make your debut which I did against Germany which was a fantastic achievement for myself.
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“The next achievement was to play in a World Cup and then getting the 50th cap and having your name up on the wall at St George’s was a great achievement. Now it’s getting level with Gordon Banks and hopefully get past Joe Hart and David Seaman.
“But the biggest motivation is just to be the best goalkeeper I can be and that should hopefully take me to 100 caps because I’m doing the right things for club and country.”
Pickford is confident he will quickly get to grips with new England manager Thomas Tuchel's methods
Pickford is confident he will quickly get to grips with new England manager Thomas Tuchel's methods
And Pickford is certain he will quickly get to grips with the demands of Thomas Tuchel and new goalkeeping coach, Hilario. Pickford said: “It’s early doors but it’s about - I hate the expression - learning their language quite early, learning about the way they want their goalkeeper to play, their style of play etc. I think that will come in time.
“It’s about learning and adapting to the manager’s methods early doors. I feel I’m very good at that.”
And Pickford was impressed with Tuchel’s opening address to the squad, saying: “ It was very inspirational and demanding in the right way. That’s what we like as players. He’s set the tone early doors."
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