Gareth Southgate told Everton star Jordan Pickford is a ‘big worry’ for England in Euro 2024
Didi Hamann has told Gareth Southgate that Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will be a “big worry” for England during Euro 2024.
The Toffees stopper is the Three Lions’ first-choice keeper heading into this summer’s tournament in Germany and is expected to start their first group game against Serbia on Sunday (16 June).
Pickford has had an excellent season under Sean Dyche at Goodison, earning praise from pundits and supporters alike, but pundit Hamann has suggested the 30-year-old could cost England this summer.
Speaking on talkSPORT on Thursday (13 June, 12:27) he said: “You will have setbacks in a tournament and you need somebody who calms the team down and when I look at his behaviour for Everton when he comes storming out having a go at his defenders and his midfielders when they make a mistake.
“That’s his job to save a ball, that’s why he is in there, that’s why he is getting paid and I think he only gets away with this behaviour because he plays for Everton.
“If he played for, I wouldn’t say a bigger club because Everton is a big club even though they’re having a rough time at the moment. If he played for a more successful team, I don’t think the player would put up with this.
“If you’ve got a calm keeper, he needs to give you reassurance that if you make a mistake in defence or midfield, he’s there to dig you out and by doing this I think you can avoid one or two chances for the opposition by just doing that, which is obviously not the case for him.
“I think the keeper for England for me will be a big worry.”
Will England and Everton star Jordan Pickford win Euro 2024 under Gareth Southgate?
It has become an easy stick to beat Pickford with that he is too emotional and over the top when on the pitch, but over the last few years that has stopped being the case both domestically and on the international stage.
His displays between the posts at Goodison were as good as any other keeper in the Premier League and while that was partly down to the excellent defence ahead of him, he still pulled off some incredible stops.
Hamann’s criticisms may have been fair a year ago or even 18 months ago, but this current version of Pickford is a much more well-rounded keeper who is almost certainly capable of helping a side win the tournament.
Hopefully, he will be successful this summer as lifting the Euros would help silence his doubters, but Everton fans will be hoping he doesn’t do anything too spectacular to potentially earn a move away from Merseyside.
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