“I enjoy challenges, I enjoy battles,” says Jordan Pickford. That’s good because he certainly had one on his hands over the past couple of months. The last time the England goalkeeper went away on international duty, Everton had just lost an FA Cup quarter-final in shambolic circumstances, going down to a 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, but it was their league performances causing the most concern.
Frank Lampard’s side were three points above the relegation zone and had games in hand to play but the manner of the display at Selhurst Park was that of a broken team, all too aware of the trap door beneath their feet. When a pair of defeats followed to West Ham and fellow relegation candidates Burnley, the outlook was bleak.
Pickford returned to St. George’s Park this week still a Premier League player. Some remarkable performances and extraordinary saves - including several in a crucial 1-0 win over Chelsea - dragged Everton over the line to protect their 68-year stay in the top flight of English football. It was not a late spurt of form, though. Pickford had a fine individual season as a whole, even as the collective around him struggled.
“It was good form [at the end of the season] but my consistency levels over the past 18 months have been really good and I’ve been really happy with them but I just want to keep getting better and better,” he says. After a short break to relax before international duty, he can now reflect on the most challenging campaign of his club career.
“It was interesting season,” he says, which is itself an interesting choice of adjective. “We started off really well but in the end, through the character from myself and the team, we had a really good end to the season. We were in a position we didn’t want to be but we can be proud of ourselves that we got out of it and take confidence from that.”
Even if Everton had dropped down to the Championship, Pickford’s place at international level would likely not have been affected. As Southgate regularly says, his first-choice goalkeeper has never let his country down. One of England’s best players at both the World Cup in 2018 and last summer’s Euros, Pickford has developed a reputation from rising to the challenge of a major tournament and will be wearing the gloves in Qatar.
The long-running debate over his place in the side has been settled, for now at least. Pickford is aware that it could rear its head again before the tournament. “There’s always going to be debate, there’s always going to be someone challenging you for your position. It’s about keeping performing for club and country, he says. “You always want challenges, as a footballer you always want to be getting pushed.”
There is greater competition beneath him than in the past now. Everton’s survival came at the expense of Burnley and Nick Pope, who will attract top-flight suitors nevertheless. The main challenge to Pickford comes from Aaron Ramsdale, who enjoyed a solid debut year at Arsenal and saw his stock rise to the point where he is arguably now England’s second-choice between the posts.
“You want other people playing well, you want other people pushing, so I think when we’re training together, we’re pushing each other every day to get better and better,” Pickford says. “Rams has had a really good season, first season at Arsenal and he’s been unbelievable. But for me it’s always concentrating on yourself as well. I know I’ve got to be at my best every day in training, because you’re always going to have that competition, for England and at club level as well.”
One thing Pickford has over his rivals for a spot is seniority. At 28-years-old and with 43 caps to his name, he is one of the more established and experienced members of Southgate’s squad. “You have to be a leader when you’re a bit older. I think for myself, I’m definitely one of them.” The sight of him berating his defence has become common. “That’s me, I’m always going to be the same character when I’m playing football, whether it’s for club or country.”
It is quite the turnaround for a player whose international career appeared to be in jeopardy only 18 months ago, before the long, sustained upturn in form with Everton. When his place was once contested, the England goalkeeper is now arguably one of Southgate's most important players. But then that has generally been the story of his career to date. Whenever Pickford has had a battle on his hands, he has risen to the challenge.
