Nick Pope wants to show Thomas Tuchel why he deserves to be England No.1

Nick: Nice to See You Ahead of Trip to Crystal Palace

Ahead of the trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday, I had the opportunity to speak with Nick Pope, Newcastle’s goalkeeper, about their difficult night against West Ham and his thoughts on the upcoming Christmas period.

Looking Back at Monday’s Match

Pope began by reflecting on Monday’s match against West Ham, acknowledging that it was a difficult night for the team. "I think just proves there’s no easy game in the Premier League. Obviously, West Ham is a good side, as the table might not quite show to what level. I think we’ve got to look at ourselves and look internally at things we could have done better."

Pride and Pleasure for England Debutants

Pope then shifted his focus to the England national team, praising the performance of his teammates Lewis Dubois and Kieran Trippier, who made their international debuts against Albania last week. "Yeah, lad, we’re all buzzing. We’re all together in Saudi, so got to watch them kind of walk out the tunnel and do the national anthem… it’s really special to watch our players do that and obviously to be around the rest of the squad at that time. It’s um, yeah, amazing to kind of share that with them."

New Manager and Upcoming Squad Selection

Turning to the upcoming season, Pope discussed his hopes for playing under new England manager Thomas Tuchel. "Of course, but the only thing that’s going to do that is playing well here. March seems quite a long time off now, if I’m honest, but obviously a new manager will bring different elements to the squad."

Praising Tuchel

Pope continued, "I was reading this stat ahead of the West Ham game, saying no goalkeeper in the Premier League has been more valuable to their team this season. I’ve conceded almost four goals fewer than expected goals faced, which is higher than any other goalkeeper in the league. I guess it’s nice to be top of a positive stat."

Recovering from Injury

Pope then shared his thoughts on recovering from a shoulder injury that kept him out for four months last season. "It’s a tough time when your life is affected by it. You essentially have one hand to get through the day. So, yeah, it was a tough stage to go through."

Gratitude for Playing Games

Reflecting on the upcoming Christmas period, Pope expressed his gratitude for playing games, saying, "As a footballer, you know, you want to play games, and this time of year is fantastic. The Christmas period is always something to look forward to."

Family Life During the Holiday Season

Pope wrapped up the interview by sharing his thoughts on the holiday season in the Pope family. "I think they’ll have a Christmas day down south and then they’ll be in the car Boxing Day morning. They’ve come to Japan and Australia now, so like every game they go to Australia… it’s the life, innit?"