FIGHT YOU FOR IT!
Pope tells Heaton battle on for keeps
NICK POPE has told Tom Heaton he will have to fight him for the No.1 spot at Burnley.
Pope has been a revelation since replacing Heaton four months ago and has kept 10 clean sheets this season.
Heaton (right) is due to return from his dislocated shoulder in the New Year and Pope says the Burnley skipper has helped him settle into the side.
But he claims the England goalkeeper will have to compete with him when he does return.
“It’s a competition,” said Pope. “Like you would have at every club, and as there is with other positions, there’s competition for places.
“I’m not going to get complacent. I’m going to concentrate just as hard as I did in those first few games in the team. We have a great goalie group. Whatever happens, there will be no problems, I can assure you of that. “For over a year we have worked together and have a great relationship on and off the pitch. He’s a friend of mine. “So it’s just work hard every day. We’ll push each other to make other better.” Pope’s success at Turf Moor has been remarkable, given he signed from Charlton 18 months ago as third-choice. Released by his beloved Ipswich Town at the age of 16, his first taste of the Premier League was when he came on for Heaton against Crystal Palace in September.
Pope, 25, was outstanding again at Old Trafford on Boxing Day and Mirror Sport columnist Robbie Savage claims he should be on the England plane for the World Cup.
Pope is chuffed by such praise, but insists he is not getting carried away.
“That’s nice of Robbie to say that and I’m not going to stop him saying that!” he said. “That’s just outside noise, although it is pleasant to hear.
“But to say I should be on the plane – that’s a long way off.
“To be thinking about that would be getting ahead of myself. It is something that’s out of my hands and something I don’t have to worry about.
“The only thing I have to worry about is Burnley and playing week-in week-out.”