James Trafford has described the lack of regular football at Manchester City as a deeply difficult experience, saying he needed to play every week for his mental wellbeing. The Leeds United goalkeeper is now a first choice at club level and has set his sights on England’s number one shirt. According to Footballtoday.com.
Trafford says playing every week was essential to his mental wellbeing
The 24-year-old left City for Leeds United last summer for a club-record fee, only a year after returning to the Manchester club. He had initially been signed to replace Ederson, but City then brought in Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain, who became first choice and left Trafford short of game time.
Trafford told the BBC the experience was a “horrendous, horrendous feeling”. He said he would ring his dad, his mum, his partner and his friends to vent, likening it to phoning someone after a bad day at work, and admitted the conversations with his mates were quite funny.
He argued that playing regularly this season was necessary for his mental wellbeing, saying a player can lose himself when he is not featuring. Trafford added that he needed weekly football to keep progressing and move closer to the ambitions he holds for his career.
That problem has eased at Leeds, where Trafford has established himself as first choice. The former Burnley goalkeeper has also started two of England’s last four games, and he has been named in the 25-man squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain.
He is aiming to overtake Jordan Pickford as the Three Lions’ first-choice goalkeeper, calling it “something I’ve always dreamed of”. Trafford said he believes he could get there one day and tries to improve daily, adding that everyone in the national team’s goalkeeping department wants the number one position.
