Jordan Pickford believes his newfound maturity can help him develop into a leader for both Everton and England.
After joining the Toffees in 2017 and enjoying a fine debut season, questions were asked about Pickford's attitude as his performance levels dropped off. However, in the last year-and-a-half the goalkeeper has clearly turned a corner and has been outstanding for club and country.
Pickford was named as the Fans' Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season, as he produced a number of extraordinary saves late in the campaign to help Everton secure their Premier League status.
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With England, the former Sunderland man is the undisputed starting goalkeeper. Pickford was excellent for his country last summer at the European Championships, playing a crucial role in the team making it to the final of the competition.
Although the domestic football season has finished, Pickford has been called up to the England squad for a quartet of upcoming UEFA Nations League matches, the first of which will be played on Saturday in Hungary.
Speaking ahead of the game, the Everton man has reflected on the developments he has made and has revealed how he channels his energy in an effective manner on the field.
"I’m 28 now, I’ve got quite a few caps and you have to be a leader when you’re a bit older," he said, per the Mirror.
"I think for myself, I’m definitely one of them. I am commanding on the pitch and quite vocal but I also have that calm demeanour and try to make the right decision at the right time. It looks like I am pumped up but I have that calmness about me as well now."
Pickford added that he thinks the manner in which Everton rallied in the latter stages of the season will provide a momentum boost going into the summer and beyond.
"It was a big relief towards the end. It was quite tiring … there were a lot of emotions," he continued.
"Those experiences you can always take on board and I think they make you better, no matter what games you’ve played. Knowing you’re never out of a game and fighting against relegation is a really hard challenge.
"We were in a position we didn’t want to be in but we can be proud of ourselves that we got out of it and take confidence from that. And we can be confident we can take this on as a team at Everton, but also for yourself, it’s a really good achievement."
