Jordan Pickford on the secret to good goalkeeping, the mental switch, and building a legacy at Everton: Men in Blazers 10/28/25

0:00You're listening to the Men in Blazers Media Network Suboptimal Radio. There's so many reasons I do love watching you in goal, and one of them is your reactions when you make a great save and you do like an exaggerated wink. Sometimes I don't even know I'm doing it. You're not aware of it? Sometimes I'm not, no, definitely not. That's just me getting fired up and getting in that moment where you need to go bang.

0:29My guest today is a gent who in the past eight years has become as much of a fixture at Everton as the Zed cars theme before the game or the pre-match siren. An elite goalkeeper who's a mix of fearlessness and self-confidence, part Tasmanian devil. In the week he signed a new contract at Everton Football Club. It's a joy to welcome England's number one, it's Mr. Jordan Pickford. Yes, Rog, you all right? Oh, mate, I'm here on this incredible week when you signed a new contract till the summer of 2029 when you'll be 35. tough Seamus Coleman's age what did it feel like to put pen to paper for you was it joy was it pride was it relief no it was a great feeling being here eight years ninth season so I felt the right thing to do and amazing feeling for me and my family was it a difficult decision that you spent you know weeks agonising whip or was it one of the easy kind it was pretty easy it's a matter of waiting and signing on the dotted line as quick as I could you just made it felt like you came yesterday but it was your 300th appearance for Everton earlier this month.

1:32Has time gone quickly or slowly? Too fast. That is life. But I want to get back to the beginning of your remarkable journey. It began in Washington, in Sunderland, your hometown. One of your former teachers said, when you were a kid, your nickname was Speedy because you were, quote, always going at 100 miles an hour. Tell us, what kind of a player, what kind of a kid was eight-year-old Jordan Pickford? Mud. As a lad, I was always out on the streets with my mates, playing football, doing stuff. It's probably really brave for an eight-year-old keeper and flying about the goal. No bother, just diving around.

2:09It's down about, jumpers for goalposts, all that. It was definitely the best times of your life when you look back and wish you'd relive them. Eight years old, you joined the Sunderland Academy, Mighty Black Cats. When you were eight, what was football to young Jordan Pickford? Was it just that fun, that release, that buzz? Or were you already thinking, this could be my future? I could be a professional. No, you're too young. When you're a Sunderland fan and you've signed for under-9s, his first contract, it was like an amazing achievement. A young Jordan who just wanted to play football and had the opportunity to play for Sunderland.

2:41But it was always a dream, like how far could you go? Who were your heroes back then? Eight-year-old Jordan Pickford looked up to him. Tommy Sorensen. Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer. And Sorensen has saved it. That is hero status. Phillips and Quinn era. It was just like Sunderland, rest of the world, no focus. But goalkeeping-wise, outside of the Sorensen safe arms, who were you looking at thinking, like, that's the man? I think that time in my life, I think it was more Peter Schmeichel when he was at Man United. That was my first memory spot. I never really, like, idolised and looked up at keepers properly then.

3:18I was just a kid who just loved being out on the streets. I never really watched much football because I was always out with my mates and playing footy. You signed your first proved contract with Sunderland when you were 17, then spent the best part of the next four years moving around on loan, six different clubs, lower leagues of English football. 2013, you're at Alfredton Town, fifth tier, National League. And the club's then chairman said, Wayne Bradley was his name, said he was struck by how your personality changed when you took the field. He said, quote, when Jordan crosses the white line, it is also different.

3:52It becomes focused and commanding. Is Jordan Pickford on the field different to Jordan Pickford for 90 minutes? The dad, the husband, the gent who's always got his rave on. Yeah, it's one of them things when I cross that white line, I go into that focus mode where I just zone right in because I know I've prepped everything. So I try and be calm, chilled, relaxed before. And as soon as I step over that white line, it's like game on. What happens mentally when you do that, Jordan? Can you describe? There's just a switch that just flicks on inside my brain, I think, where I just go, this is my time.

4:27Can you talk about that balance between showing your emotions on the field and keeping them in, reining them in to retain your focus? It's quite tough because I think how passionate I am as a footballer. Over the years, I've definitely improved, but I think it's tough to keep them all in sometimes because how passionate of a character I am when I'm on the pitch. How long does it take you to calm down after games? The next night. Is it really? No, to be fair. Is it like 24 hours of adrenaline? I struggle to sleep after. Just the adrenaline probably still running through me. So if I can get to sleep, that's like tick the good box there.

5:02You've worked all week to be mentally prepared and be physically prepared to showcase on a Saturday. And that's where you let kind of all your energy out really. And after a game, mentally shattered. But whenever I get to sleep, I get to sleep. Back to your career, you were recalled to Sunderland 2016, you made your home debut, it was against Everton at the Stadium of Light, do you remember the score in that one? It was 3-0. Do you remember who scored? Lukaku got a hat, I got two. Lukaku got a hat, right? Yeah, I thought so, yeah. Do you remember every game of real? I made a good save, actually, first half.

5:36Are you that player that can remember every save? Sometimes I can remember, and sometimes it just appears that it all becomes a bit of a blur, But if I've got a feeling I can remember of the moment, or if I get told about them, I can kind of picture everything that happened.

5:55That Sunderland team managed by David Moyes. You were a young, inexperienced player there, making his first appearances. You were reunited with David Moyes when he returned to Everton Football Club in January. Has he changed a little? Not really. I think as a manager, you've got your ways about the way you manage day in, day out. he's still the same he still always speaks to you always asks about your family and stuff like that so his man management stuff is really good What's the most important lesson in all the time you've spent with him that David Moyes has given you that's really stuck with him?

6:26Make sure you give your best version of yourself as an individual and as a team and put a performance on because you know that's what's going to make the fans happy June 2017 you signed with Everton it was actually David Moyes that tipped the Blues off to you and the deal at the time made you the third the most expensive goalkeeper in history. What did you know about Everton Football Club before you arrived that summer? And what made you love it? I remember growing up as a kid coming, as a Sunland fan, and the toughness of coming to play at Everton, getting results out of it, you know, you're going to be in a cauldron.

7:01That was one thing I knew how passionate the fans were when I first signed. So that was like a great opportunity for me because I knew I was coming to a place where you show passion, pride, and the fans are going to love you. And that's something I think I've done really well. It was a great challenge for me to take on, to fulfil my dream and Everton give me that opportunity. Since then, I have watched games where you have kept Everton in the match single-handedly. I've watched so many making save after save. Does time go quickly in those moments when it's really a defensive stand or does the game seem to drag on forever?

7:36Put it this way, I think it's one of them where when you're at school as a kid and you look back at the club and see how long left, out of your lesson. A bit like football. If you look up, then it's going to feel like it drags. But for me, it's just so focused until the referee blows half-time or full-time and just keep that mentality and that focus throughout the game. And sometimes you're called upon. Sometimes you get a little breather. Sometimes it feels like double maths on a Wednesday afternoon. Maths is alright, actually. What's your favourite kind of save? What gives you the most satisfaction and what?

8:09You manage to get into a position where you're probably not in an optimal position, but you're in that position, like, go on, beat me, and then you make the save. An improvised save. Yeah, yeah, because obviously you do all your work in the week with keeper coach to get the set positions. So sometimes you can never be in them positions, but it's all that snap reaction and making a point-blank save. Just natural instinct and muscle memory. I've got to say, as you're saying that, I'm just imagining so many Jordan Pickford faces that you pull after you do one of those where you, like, look at the camera and you're like...

8:41that's when you know they're a good save. I'll always remember that double save you made against Chelsea 2022. Mason Mount shot at the right post, spinned across the goal like a meat-starved predator to shut down Azpilicueta. What is the secret to good goalkeeping? No one's watching this, you can tell us, Jordan. Just being in the moment for 90 plus minutes. It doesn't really matter how many saves you've got to make. It's all about like right decision making, I would say. Is it like lonely at times? If it's lonely, you feel disconnected. I feel like I've got to be connected with the team throughout the full game.

9:16And that's where my communication comes into play. There's so many reasons I do love watching you in goal. And one of them is your reactions when you make a great save and you do like an exaggerated wink. December against Manchester City when you rolled your neck and your eyes and then stuck your tongue out Ace Ventura style before saving early in Harland's penalty. and I watch you when you do that I wonder do you do that for yourself yeah that's just for me that's not trying to psych all in that that was just my zones it is isn't it you're not trying to put the opponent off you're not doing it for the cameras we all think it's for us and I love it man but you are doing that for yourself that's just me getting fired up and getting in that moment where you need to go bang you know penalties if you pick the right way you've got another opportunity to make it safe but then it's about executing your dive as well so the beforehand that's just psyching myself up and getting ready for it.

10:06Sometimes I don't even know I'm doing it. You're not aware of it? Sometimes I'm not. No, definitely not. But there is this part of your game, it's not quite f***ing, but it is bloody funny when you turn around and you gesture towards the fans who were away or you punch your fist or the 98th minute equaliser at the derby, the knee slide that kind of took you all the way from Goodison Park halfway across Stanley Park. Are you aware of those moments or is that also natural? No, I'd say that's like just the emotion and the passion. I have. That's all the stored up everything just coming out in those moments.

10:39The energy, the focus, the locking in, it's just almost that. Yeah, exactly. According to the stats keepers at Opta, they're never wrong. You prevented most goals in the Premier League last season. And what is amazing to me is you're not that big at reflecting on what you've achieved. You've said you don't look back because, quote, part of being a goalkeeper is all about looking forward. Do you really not dwell on mistakes, Jordan? And if you don't, how would you do that? because I'm 98 % filled with regret, remorse, self-anger. I know straight away in the moment if I could have done better. If I could have done a better kick, better save, come for a better cross, better decision-making.

11:17I know straight away what I could have done. You'll correct it in the game because that's my mentality. But I always say just make sure the next thing you do, if it's a pass, if it's a save, just do it to your best. Then that just zones you back straight in. So that's the secret. You know you've done it wrong. you identify it you admit it to yourself and then you immediately focus on confidence in yourself I get it right next time exactly yeah definitely be like that man kids not like this man you've also been working you've talked about it it's amazing with a sports psychologist to better understand yourself yeah on and off the field how does that process help you on it gives you a clear image of what you want to achieve on the pitch and how you want to improve yourself but also it's a big part of it off the pitch as well

12:05can we talk about Everton Football Club you've been here eight years it's a huge part of your life how has the club changed and what has changed over the course of you being here been a few roller coasters a few moments of down in the dumps really as a club it's like how do we get out of that and I think that just shows the mentality of Everton Football Club when it's not going well who's going to step up to the plate you've got to come together and you've got to go through it we've had some good moments we've had some good results but realistically we've never been in the position in the last few years where Everton Football Club should be.

12:39The club is for me the most important value in life it is tenacious like that ability to persevere collectively as you say but we now are in a different moment and when you sign the contract you did say that what does it feel like now to walk out in the Hill Dickinson the steep-sided south stand 53 ,000 fans bellowing What difference has that made to your life on the field? We've got a lot of history at Goodison. It's a football club. We go back years and years and winning European Cups. There's so much history behind it. But it's about how can we create that new chapter of history? And we've got an opportunity now.

13:14We want to be part of that at the Hill Dickinson, at the new stadium. We can achieve that. It's about believing in it. Near the end of last season, the Everton faithful finally gave you a song. He's a black room, he's a blue He's a toughie through and through Jordan Pickford's Dynamite What's it feel like when you hear then the entire Gladys Street and 30 ,000 voices singing Jordan Pickford's Dynamite? I love it mate Sometimes mumbling to myself in the game when I'm chanting as a football fan myself If I was in the stands, that's me I'm chanting all the way, 90 plus minutes but it's great now because my son loves it so he bounces off it.

13:56Do you catch yourself singing it on the way home like Iliad Dyke? Arno will be. He'll be chatting it all the way home sometimes. I want to touch on England. You just set in a new record, keeping nine consecutive clean sheets, breaking Gordon Banks' long-time record. It's been so long since you conceded the goal that the new manager, Thomas Tuchel, has never seen it happen since he took the job last January. Does playing for England mentally feel differently than facing Premier League opponents? The thing is, Premier League, we play against the best players week in, week out. There's no disrespect to the Lord Nations.

14:32We're in a qualifying process and, you know, we've had some tough games. I've had to make saves, but the lads have defended brilliantly. I'll never take the credit for them nine clean sheets. I'll take some of it, but not at all. But the main thing is we're winning the games. We'll qualify to be in America next summer. Does the constant debate about England's number one, does it exhaust you or does it just motivate you? It's a motivation. I need to keep pushing myself. And for me, it's about getting even better. Then the challenges then becomes from the lads who want to challenge me to try and step up.

15:07We'll kick off in the United States, Mexico, Canada. When you shut your eyes and think about what England can do there, what do you dream about? Lifting that trophy and Donald Trump giving it the Harry Kane after. Oh my God. After your eighth clean sheet for England, when you snapped Gordon Banks' record, Everton legend Wayne Rooney said he thought you were still, quote, underappreciated for both Everton and England. He said you were not mentioned enough, you're not given enough props. Do you feel that? Do you not recognise as much as you should be for club and country? It doesn't really. It fears me.

15:43As long as I'm performing, that's all I can do. As long as I know I'm at my highest level, I'm happy. for me it's about my family appreciate me that's all that matters and Arlo can say well done he's a bit different he's a proper fan and gets a bit upset when we don't win How old is he? Six God bless him Everton or Sunderland is he? Both That's a question for you you are Sunderland there's no doubt about it but you've been in this city been with this club for eight years does part of you consider yourself an Evertonian now Jordan? Coming here at 23 it's a big part of my life big chapter of my life and so appreciate this club.

16:20I think they've appreciated me as well and we've got a great future ahead of us. In those eight years, how have you changed Jordan? We've talked about how Everton have changed in that time, but how has Jordan Pickford changed in that spell? Got a few more wrinkles, bit of chest hair. Respect. I've definitely matured. I was probably that raw keeper when I first signed who had the ability but it was about sustaining that ability and bringing everything I think Nick Everett's a well-rounded goalkeeper consistently throughout the season for 38 games in the Premier League and the Cup games. So that has probably been the biggest change.

16:55The consistency over a full season, I think, has improved. And I think everyone's seen that. You're also one of the most loyal footballers I've seen in the modern period. There's a common wisdom that when you get to a certain level, you've got to push. You've got to get to Champions League. You've stayed here and you've become a legend here. in your own words can you explain what's kept you here at Everson Football Club Julian I think it's just a great club there's so much potential at this club and we've had like we said earlier rollercoaster of a few years which happens in football but you come out the other side of it for me it's it's the next chapter and I'm going to be part of it I've been part of eight years where we've not won anything we've been in some dark places as a football club I want to be here when it's a good place as well.

17:42There was recently a comment on an Everton subreddit where someone wrote, Jordan Pickford defines an era like Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines did in their time. You've recently said you want to build a legacy for yourself at this club. Jordan, what do you want kids to say when they tell their kids, their grandkids, that they saw Jordan Pickford playing goal for the Blues? That's part of being a footballer. You want to be a role model. You want to build that legacy. And when you've got the opportunity to do it, I want to keep improving, I want to keep pushing myself. And when you look back and you see their memories when you're retired, when you're a bit older, you want to feel that proud.

18:19And for me, we want to win something as a football club. It's been too long. You look back at the history of Everton, the legends. More talking about when they've won something because we know how much it means as a toffee. We know it's going to be tough, but that's something we want to create. Jordan, to you, to your club, to that future, that future of light, to Arlo. Thanks so much. Hey you all yes, congratulations. Thank you mate, cheers. Courage.