Craig insists the success of the two Jordans has nothing to do with him
Jordan Pickford has the perfect mentality to deal with the weight of expectation that will be resting on his shoulders when England tackle Senegal.
That’s the opinion of his opposite number in the Scotland camp, Craig Gordon, who was the No. 1 at Sunderland when Pickford was finishing his apprenticeship.
Gareth Southgate’s men go into the round-of-16 tie as massive favourites, but know their efforts will come under fierce scrutiny.
None more so than their last line of defence. But Gordon (inset) insists he will take it in his stride.
“Playing for an international team at World Cup level is going to bring a lot of pressure. Luckily, Jordan is a big personality who can deal with it,” said the Hearts shot-stopper.
“I used to train with him at Sunderland, but I am not looking for any credit. His success is all down to his own efforts.
“What I can tell you is that being tested is something Jordan relishes. He takes it all in his stride.
“I’ve been very impressed by how he’s handled everything in his career.
“He has always been a confident boy with a belief in his own ability. That helps as a goalkeeper. You are not always going to get it your own way.
“It’s about how you bounce back, and Jordan has always been a big character.
“Those attributes have definitely helped him because he did great things for Sunderland before getting a big move.”
Pickford certainly made the most of his chance at Everton, too, with the 28-yearold now heavily linked with a potential further step up to Manchester United.
“It’s great to see someone I watched when he was so young make that kind of breakthrough at club level before carrying it on to the international team,” Gordon continued.
“He’s had a solid start to the World Cup, which is what you want as a keeper.
“England have defended well. It is a settled three with him, John Stones and Harry Maguire. They work well together, it’s a stable base and Jordan’s a big part of that.”
The Scot has been studying his peers in action in Qatar, and acknowledges that Pickford’s loud and commanding style of marshalling his defence is in contrast to his own.
“We’re totally different – but there’s more than one way to do it,” he said.
“Jordan does shout a lot, whereas I am on the opposite side of that.
“I am probably quite calm, and don’t shout as much. But there’s no right or wrong way. It’s about how you get the job done.
“Jordan has gone on to have a fantastic career. He’s got a lot of caps behind him and is performing at the World Cup. So it has certainly worked for him.” Gordon has likewise been thrilled by the progress of Jordan Henderson, another player he first came across at Sunderland.
He recalled: “Jordan came through a little before Pickford, so was a team-mate rather than a training partner.
“Again you could tell he was going places. He was extremely motivated, the hardest worker at the training ground, and someone who always wanted to better himself.
“Whenever we were getting beaten, he would simply not accept it – and, remember, we were in a team that were down at the bottom of the league.
“He was the one who would drive things forward. He was a teenager at the time, and you could just tell he was destined for bigger and better things.
“What an incredible career, to have become the captain of Liverpool and lift the trophies that he has.
“It is testament to how hard he has worked, and the improvements he has made to his game throughout his career.
“He has never stopped – and is still driving things on now.”