Frank Lampard has praised Jordan Pickford whilst crediting Preston North End legend Alan Kelly as a key part of his improvement.
The attention is already turning towards the World Cup and how Gareth Southgate may take to Qatar.
Goalkeepers Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson appear to be fighting for two spots with Pickford nailed on for the plane.
Pickford has fared well for England over the years and is in fine form for Everton, so should start as Southgate’s first-choice goalkeeper.
PNE fans tend to take an interest in Pickford’s progress after his superb loan spell at North End.
Pickford joined the club on loan from Sunderland back in the summer of 2015, shortly after PNE had won promotion from League One.
Replacing Sam Johnstone was never going to be easy but Pickford was outstanding, so good that Sunderland recalled him in January 2016.
Pickford only stayed at North End for a matter of months but will be remembered as one of the club’s best goalkeepers on talent alone.
PNE fans saw Pickford move on to Everton for big money just 18 months after his recall, and then shine for England at the World Cup in Russia just a year after that.
Pickford has a familiar face at Everton too with Alan Kelly the goalkeeping coach at Goodison Park.
Kelly worked with Pickford as the goalkeeping coach at North End before then reuniting on Merseyside.
Kelly is something of a hero at PNE, not just for his coaching but also his playing days, following in the footsteps of his father by turning out for North End for many years.
Seeing the two former North Enders work together at Everton is heartwarming for a PNE fan and the duo have now been praised.
Everton boss Frank Lampard has told the Liverpool Echo that he thinks Kelly is ‘fantastic’ and has really helped Pickford develop into a top goalkeeper for the Toffees.
That previous connection at PNE will have certainly helped and Everton are now reaping the rewards.
“I think it has come naturally. I have worked closely with him,” said Lampard. “Alan Kelly, our goalkeeping coach, is fantastic, he is a really good sounding board for him and through the work he delivers for him. 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. I think fair play to Jordan, he’s still relatively young as a goalkeeper so I think it’s a big plus and at the minute he is very, very complete in terms of his game,” he added.