Since Harry Kane has learned to win at Bayern Munich, Jordan Pickford is the only England starter from last year’s Euros without a major trophy to his name.
It’s the price he’s had to pay for eight years of loyalty to Everton, a club more recently associated with relegation battles and financial strife than big Champions League nights.
Could all that be about to change? The respected 31-year-old goalkeeper is convinced today’s first Premier League game at Hill Dickinson Stadium can mark a change in their fortunes under manager David Moyes and owner Dan Friedkin.
Both the beloved Goodison Park and the divisive regime of Farhad Moshiri are now in the rear view mirror and though an opening-day defeat at Leeds was disappointing, their new arena and glamorous loan signing of Jack Grealish have extended ambitions beyond survival.
‘Crystal Palace winning the FA Cup last season was a great example of what can be achieved,’ assesses Pickford, capped 76 times by his country and a frequent saviour for his club during difficult times. ‘It’s a template for us to win silverware as well.
‘Everyone knows the gaffer and his demands. I’ve had an ambition since coming to Everton to play in Europe and this is my ninth season – some paper round!
Jordan Pickford is the only England starter yet to win a major trophy with his club
The Everton stopper has revealed how he convinced Jack Grealish to join the club on loan
‘With everything that’s gone on, we’ve never had that chance to push up the league. Hopefully this year is good and we’re in that top half where we should be. I’m really excited. It is a new chapter.’
It’s not just the prospect of playing in front of 53,000 fans every week, and having a spacious dressing-room with decent showers, that gives Pickford belief.
Everton are set to make £40million teenager Tyler Dibling their sixth buy of the summer and capturing Treble winner Grealish was a statement of intent, with Pickford happy to have played his own small part in the move.
‘I’m good friends with Jack. When the Everton rumours started, we had a couple of conversations. I said he’d love it here, it’s a proper home club, and messaged “Hurry up you!”
‘When he told me it was nearly all done, I was like “Box ticked.”
‘Jack has a stature. He is always smiling and lights the place up.
‘You should see him in training, he is a top player. It’s massive for Everton to sign someone like him.
‘We’ve got lads coming in now who have won titles. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall won in Europe with Chelsea last season. They are going to push and we have to follow.’
Pickford and Grealish are close friends from their time with England (pictured at Harry Maguire’s wedding with their partners)
Pickford also has the World Cup to look forward to next summer in what would be his fifth major tournament.
For the first time in a long time, he faces genuine competition for his No1 jersey with James Trafford now at Manchester City and Dean Henderson a big part of Crystal Palace’s success.
Thomas Tuchel names his squad next week for qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. Pickford is relishing the challenge of staying first-choice.
‘People have been trying to dismantle my shirt for a few years now,’ he stresses. ‘Fighting for the shirt brings the best out of you.
‘It doesn’t matter if you’re 21 or 31 as long as you keep improving. I am still young as a ‘keeper.
‘There will always be questions with England but it’s my shirt to hold onto. It’s about putting on performances for the Everton badge, which will lead me to be successful for England.’
Football is changing – goalkeepers are now judged as much as what they do with their feet as the saves they make. Fortunately, Pickford has a mean 60-yard diagonal in his locker.
Pickford says Everton should aspire to emulate Premier League rivals Crystal Palace
His centre-half James Tarkowski discovered the changing climate at Elland Road on Monday night when he conceded a penalty for handball even with his arm by his side as he leaned into block a shot.
Pickford doesn’t want his captain to change his approach however.
‘Tarky puts his body on the line. He is as brave as anything and it gives me less shots to save!,’ smiles Pickford. ‘That’s what you want, a proper old-school defender.’
Even facing Brighton in a brand new stadium like Hill Dickinson.
