Frank Lampard hails Everton coach for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s improvements
Frank Lampard has revealed the importance of Everton goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly to Jordan Pickford’s emergence as a leader at the club.
Lampard hailed the Everton goalkeeper’s increased maturity and namechecked Kelly as one of the key reasons behind the 28-year-old’s stellar outings.
The Everton boss admitted Kelly has been “fantastic” in helping Pickford improve as a professional instilling a calmness in the shot-stopper.
“Alan Kelly, our goalkeeping coach, is fantastic, he is a really good sounding board for him and through the work he delivers for him,” said Lampard as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“Keepers are always much closer to the goalkeeping coach so I must give Alan credit on that front. When you speak with people around the training ground and Everton I think there is a real sense of Jordan taking on board maturity.
“He’s a leader in the group without a doubt. I think there is a calmness in his game. I didn’t know him before [I arrived at Everton] and now I have worked with him I see there is a calmness and a confidence in himself and that means he can affect other people around him positively, which is a huge plus as a goalkeeper.”
Outstanding.
Pickford again proved his importance to the Toffees on Saturday evening in an outstanding performance against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The England international yet again proved why he is one of the best in the league and saved the Blues from what would have been an unfair defeat.
Sensational and scintillating would be two words to sum up Pickford’s outing and it’s no surprise Premier League juggernauts are circling for him.
Everton need to do everything in their power to keep the 28-year-old at Goodison Park, he’s simply irreplaceable for the Blues.
This is easier said than done, but surely the club can offer one of their star talents a new bumper contract to keep him settled and pleased.
The Fulham fixture was just another example of the points Pickford brings to the team from his saves, without him Everton would have lost on Saturday.
The Toffees face Leicester City next in the Premier League, a game they will be hoping to take some points from.