Frank Lampard highlighted the role of goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly in helping "complete" goalkeeper Jordan Pickford emerge as a leader in the Everton dressing room.
Blues boss Lampard said his number one’s increased maturity has largely been a natural development. But he namechecked Kelly as having been a crucial sounding board for the 28-year-old, who produced another set of stunning saves in the draw at Fulham.
Pickford is having an impact on and off the pitch for the Blues, Lampard recognising his contribution by becoming the first manager In the shot-stopper's senior career to hand him the captain’s armband - a moment of real pride for the man expected to be Gareth Southgate’s first choice for England at the World Cup.
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Pickford emerged as a dressing room leader in Everton's relegation battle last season. Between the posts he made crucial stops in the vital narrow wins over Manchester United, Leicester City and Chelsea - the game that saw him produce a save from Cesar Azpilicueta that Lampard later hailed as one of the greatest stops of the Premier League era.
Injury to Seamus Coleman led to Pickford being handed the captaincy for the trip to Burnley and he started this season with the armband while the club captain and Republic of Ireland international recovered from a summer operation. Pickford's stunning form has continued, too, producing a heroic display to keep a clean sheet in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park and adding to his list of impressive stops at Craven Cottage by denying Willian and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The former Sunderland keeper has often been the subject of intense scrutiny as critics question his England credentials and rivals see him as susceptible to being wound up - the Newcastle United crowd in particular working hard to get under his skin at St James' Park earlier this month.
Yet while Pickford may look temperamental, he says that is a common misunderstanding, telling the ECHO earlier this year: "I feel like I try to be a leader in my way. Sometimes it looks like I’m shouting ridiculously but it’s that talking and information and trying to lead in that manner. The more leaders you have in the team, the better... I am calm. The tough thing for me is the atmosphere is good, in every game it is very loud home and away. I am trying to get messages on to tell my team-mates, so it looks like I am screaming but I am actually trying to help get a good message across to help the lads out.
"As a goalkeeper you can see the whole pitch, so I am actually trying to help my team-mates out. When it comes to my decision-making I am a lot calmer but the animation and shouting and balling, it is not crazy stuff I am saying... I am trying to give my team-mates information about what is going on in front of me."
This is a summary backed up by Lampard, who has shown faith in Pickford as a leader. In his view, Pickford's composure and maturity amid the noise of speculation and jeers from rival fans is impressive and improving. Asked why he believed Pickford, currently in talks over a new Everton contract, was continuing to make such progress, he explained: "I think it has come naturally. I have worked closely with him. Alan Kelly, our goalkeeping coach, is fantastic, he is a really good sounding board for him and through the work he delivers for him. Keepers are always much closer to the goalkeeping coach so I must give Alan credit on that front. When you speak with people around the training ground and Everton I think there is a real sense of Jordan taking on board maturity.
"He's a leader in the group without a doubt. I think there is a calmness in his game. I didn't know him before [I arrived at Everton] and now I have worked with him I see there is a calmness and a confidence in himself and that means he can affect other people around him positively, which is a huge plus as a goalkeeper. I think fair play to Jordan, he's still relatively young as a goalkeeper so I think it's a big plus and at the minute he is very, very complete in terms of his game."
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