Bachmann’s future goals include keeping Lewandowski at bay

BEFORE joining Kilmarnock on loan last year, goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann hadn’t played a first-team game since turning out for League One Bury in a 2-0 defeat at Fleetwood on January 2, 2016. In four years with Stoke City, Bachmann, pictured, failed to record a first-team appearance and has yet to make the breakthrough since moving to his parent club in 2017. However, he believes that starring regularly for Steve Clarke’s side in the Ladbrokes Premiership will see him make his international debut for Austria when they face Poland – featuring the fearsome strike pairing of Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Krzysztof Piatek of AC Milan – in a Euro 2020 qualifying tie in Vienna on March 21. “I’m hoping to be in the squad when it’s announced in the next few days,” said the 24-year-old. “It’s not up to me; all I can do is play well. “The goalkeeping department in Austria is very open and I think I deserve my shot. I have had contact with the association over the last week. They have been watching me and know I’ve been playing well. “I just hope to get back in the squad and get a chance. It’s Lewandowski and Piotek up first – not the worst strikers in world football at the moment! The Austrian squad is a very strong squad and we have some big names like Marko Arnautovic and David Alaba. “We are definitely a nation which should be going to most big tournaments. I have known Marko for a long time because we were at Stoke together. “It was nice when I was in some of the squads for the World Cup qualifiers a year or 18 months ago. But now I think I properly deserve a chance because I’m playing well and there is definitely room for someone to go and take the Austria shirt.” Bachmann produced a flawless display at the weekend, making athletic first-half saves to deny Jake Hastie and the on-loan Gboly Ariyibi. Nottingham Forest winger Ariyibi believed that a draw was about right. “We’re definitely pleased with a point in tough conditions,” he said. “I thought I’d scored just before half-time but their keeper made a great save. He had more to do than Mark Gillespie during the game, although Mark produced a massive save [from Eamonn Brophy] near the end for us. Everyone played their part.”