Leeds United's Daniel Farke on James Trafford: 'He knows he is bloody good' — Yorkshire Post 10/10/26
By Stuart Rayner
Daniel Farke says Leeds United goalkeeper James Trafford has
the “natural self-confidence” which will allow him to compete to be England's
new No 1 goalkeeper and deal with being Britain's most expensive.
Trafford's career has gone on fast forward after spending
last season as Manchester City's domestic cup goalkeeper, winning the FA and
League Cups, but not enough minutes to play at the World Cup.
Since then he has moved to Leeds in a £45m deal, and was
picked as England goalkeeper in two of the recent four Nations League games.
That a home game against world and European champions Spain, England's first
post-World Cup fixture, was one of Trafford's games rather than incumbent
Jordan Pickford's felt significant.
Pickford has always been an energetic character, but Leeds
manager Farke thinks Trafford's calmer demeanour is what he needs.
"He's relaxed," said the German, who predictably
refused to give an opinion on who should be the Three Lions’ first choice.
"You have to be like this as a goalkeeper.
"It helps a bit if you have a natural arrogance that
you think you never do a mistake and it's always a mistake from a team-mate.
"If you're too thoughtful as a goalkeeper and you come
with shaky hands on the pitch you have no chance .
"You have to have this natural arrogance a little bit,
and in a positive way. Natural self-confidence is perhaps a better word to
describe, and this is what James has.
"Also, with his aura, with his body language, you could
feel that he knows he is bloody good. It's definitely helpful.
"I'm delighted for him to have two more (international)
appearances under his belt.
"Every good result is good for the goalkeeper and
especially when he can keep a clean sheet (as he did in Prague in his second
game)."
Trafford returns to club football for Saturday’s 12.30pm
Premier League game at Arsenal.
It is his club form this season which got him his England
chance, shrugging off the pressure of his price tag.
"The most important topic is quality,” said Farke. “You
can't fake quality.
"If you just pretend but you don't have the quality,
everyone will see this.
"He plays for a huge club with passionate supporters,
with lots of expectations around it, with lots of noise around it.
"It's one of the most interesting clubs in this country
and in Europe.
"When we when we travel to Dublin (in pre-season), when
we travel to the US, we have a huge fanbase everywhere following us.
"And you know if there is one poor game, everyone is on
him.
"You need a special mindset and a special character to
be successful at Leeds United, it's not for everyone.
"But this is also why I wanted him because I knew he
has a special mindset, to have this attitude of natural self-belief and an
aura.
"Of course he's still a human being, he's not a
machine, and he has emotions, but also as a relaxed way about himself and about
everything.
"He can handle the pressure. If you don't have this
skill, then it's better you don't sign for Leeds United – not as a player, not
as a staff member, not as a manager.
"A goalkeeper for Leeds United probably has to make
more saves than Man City, Liverpool or Arsenal. That's quite normal.
"So he's perhaps even a bit more in the spotlight with
us.
"I was desperate to sign him, and not just this summer.
I even tried before because I'm fully convinced of his qualities as a
goalkeeper, I'm fully convinced of his qualities as a human being.
"(He has) this mentality you need.
"There's big pressure and big competition if you play
for a big club. There's competition for your position.
"But he has shown in the first months with us that he
can handle the pressure and the expectations that Leeds supporters have.
There's a reason why they all love him already.”