Pickford: Being a substitute felt strange, but the coach explained the rotation to me

England will play Croatia away. Ahead of the match, Pickford attended a press conference and discussed topics such as the rotation of goalkeepers, and his future with the England team.

It's great to see you, Jordan. You've almost never missed an England match, and you set an amazing record of playing 30 consecutive games during the training camp in the US, which you've been proud of all summer. How do you feel about missing the two matches against Spain and the Czech Republic, and watching Trafford start in your place?

To be honest, I rarely sit on the bench, whether for my club or the national team, but this time I've accepted it completely. The head coach specifically spoke with me before the Spain match, explaining the reasons for the rotation, which gave me a peaceful mindset. I also used this time to assess my own form.

The head coach explicitly arranged for me and the other goalkeepers to each get playing opportunities. For me, the main task in these two matches was to be a good teammate, maintain a positive attitude within the team, lead by example in training, set standards, fulfill my leadership responsibilities, and fully support the team. I think I did a good job of that.

It certainly feels strange not to be able to play, but I've always believed that no matter how talented a player is, they must first be a good teammate. This has been my approach in every training camp; I'm full of passion, and whether I play or not, my only wish is for the England team to win and to inject vitality into the team. I think I've done very well.

You must still feel a bit unaccustomed to it, right?

It's certainly different from before, but I see it very clearly. Our goalkeeping squad has been working together for two years. Dean Henderson previously played in the third-place match against France, and Trafford has performed exceptionally well for Leeds United this season. It's a very good arrangement to let young goalkeepers like Trafford and Dean play in official matches.

Our goalkeeping group has a great atmosphere and strong camaraderie. The head coach's original intention was to let young goalkeepers gain experience in official major tournaments, and I fully respect that decision. There won't be many spectators at tomorrow's game, mostly student fans, and over a hundred loyal England fans have traveled a long way to be there, which is very rare. The atmosphere might be a bit subdued, but it's a new challenge for us.

We've played Spain at Wembley, then traveled away to face the Czech Republic, and now we're off to Croatia. The stadium environment is unique, with few spectators, making for a completely different setting. But for tomorrow's match, the focus has never been on external factors, but on ourselves. We need to strictly execute the head coach's tactical plan, implement the tactical blueprint, and give our all to show our best performance.

Let's talk about tomorrow's opponent, Croatia. You've played against them for years; what are your thoughts on this team?

We've faced Croatia frequently in recent years, and they've always been a strong team with many talented players. Gvardiol is now playing for Manchester City, performing brilliantly, and consistently at a top Premier League level. Moreover, Modric and Perisic are still playing, and it's very impressive that they can maintain top form at their age. At the same time, a large number of excellent young players have emerged, giving them a strong foundation. Tomorrow will definitely be a wonderful match.

You've played against Croatia many times. What are some memorable match experiences, both the best and the worst?

Every encounter with Croatia is highly competitive and intense. We unfortunately lost to them in the 2018 World Cup, but in recent years, we've performed well and achieved the desired results. In the first group stage match of the last World Cup, we beat Croatia 4-2.

Now we are among the top teams in the UEFA Nations League, and every match is a high-intensity test. As I said before, in every game, we must give our all and play at England's best level.

The head coach has played Trafford continuously to assess his performance in major tournaments, while you are undoubtedly the team's number one goalkeeper. What improvements do you think the competition among goalkeepers in the team brings to your game?

For me, healthy competition is always a good thing; it constantly pushes me to improve and break through my limits. I've said many times in previous interviews that I've always craved the motivation that competition brings.

From my national team debut until now, the England goalkeeper position has maintained fierce and healthy competition, with generations of excellent goalkeepers constantly emerging and competing in high-level matches. This sufficiently proves England's talent reserve and overall standard for goalkeepers, and it also urges me to always stay in peak condition and maintain my place in the national team.

Has this rotation and rest made you re-experience the urgency of competing for a starting spot?

I maintain this sense of urgency in every match. Even when I'm consistently playing for my club and have extensive experience, I absolutely don't dare to relax. I always give my all in training and refine myself, solely to keep my place in the national team. I know that competition is always present, I can't relax for a moment, and I must always push myself to be better.

The head coach has mentioned several times that the second half against Croatia in the last World Cup was one of your best performances of the entire tournament. Do you agree? What was the key to that excellent performance?

I completely agree. In that second half, our attacking aggression was at its maximum, with high-intensity pressure throughout and no slackening whatsoever. As the first group stage match of the World Cup, the team was a bit cautious and the rhythm was somewhat conservative in the first 25 minutes, which is normal. Many players were on such a top stage as the World Cup for the first time, so it's understandable that they might be a bit reserved. In fact, we wanted to play with the rhythm and standard of the second half from the start, and the head coach's substitutions completely revitalized the team. That 45 minutes in the second half was definitely our peak performance.

The public is very concerned about the team's defensive statistics. We've kept five clean sheets in our last 13 to 14 matches. Do you think there's a problem with the team's defense?

We played 8 matches in the World Cup, and all our opponents were top-tier teams that had emerged from continental qualifiers, with diverse styles and different threats, making the competition extremely difficult.

Given such a schedule and opponent intensity, 5 clean sheets in 13 matches is actually not a bad result. Of course, we still have room for improvement, and we aspire to achieve more clean sheets. As long as the entire defensive line is solidified, our attacking advantages upfront can be fully utilized. Moving forward, we will focus more on defensive stability while maintaining an offensive style of play. The current style of play is more aggressive and more enjoyable to watch.

You are only 30 years old this year, so this question might be premature, but have you planned your career with the England team? Are you looking ahead to the next World Cup or Euro?

For a goalkeeper, 30 is the golden age. You see many top goalkeepers, like Neuer, who don't retire from the national team until they're 40 and can still compete at the highest level. They are all my role models.

I will continuously push myself and keep breaking through, setting small goals and embarking on new challenges once one is completed. Day after day, I hone and push myself on and off the field. As long as my physical condition allows, I will keep playing until I'm 40.

So you are completely confident that you can play until you are 40?

Of course, I show no signs of decline; on the contrary, I am constantly improving.

Two final questions. Your good friend Kane is a strong contender for this year's Ballon d'Or. You grew up together and have played side-by-side for England for many years. How do you evaluate his achievements? Is this his dream-come-true moment?

He is definitely a strong contender for the Ballon d'Or. His discipline and goal-scoring efficiency are top-notch, and his character and professionalism are a role model for all players. He deserves all the accolades.

I sincerely hope he wins the Ballon d'Or; this honor is the best reward for his and his family's daily efforts. At the same time, he needs to play two more games to equal Peter Shilton's England appearance record, which is another new goal for him. The next two months are destined to be a fruitful period for the captain; all his achievements are gifts of his hard work, and the rewards for diligence are fully embodied in him.

One last question, have you studied Croatia's lineup? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

We just played against them recently, so we know the team very well. They have a new coach, Bilic, now, so their tactical system will have new changes.

We're not sure about tomorrow's starting lineup, but their bench depth is very strong, and the players who come on as substitutes can provide diverse attacking threats. We will be highly alert to the opponent's best form, and at the same time, we will give our all and perform at our peak level to meet the challenge. Thank you everyone.

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