He can thank his long-time mentor Mark Prudhoe, Sunderland’s ­experienced goalkeeping coach, for his coming-of-age trips to Darlington, Alfreton Town, Burton, Carlisle, Bradford and Preston North End. In fact at Preston he impressed ­former Liverpool and England keeper Chris Kirkland so much Pickford almost ended up at Anfield. Kirkland said: “I told some of the Liverpool staff that Jordan was the best young keeper I had worked with. “In my eyes Jordan is the best keeper this country has got,” he enthused. It gives everyone security.”Something both England manager Gareth Southgate and Pickford’s long-term confidante Prudhoe agree on.

Source: Daily Mirror July 10, 2021 21:22 UTC