Interview from Zagreb with home-grown Wimbledon talent
Joe Bursik has paid tribute to the academy set-up at AFC Wimbledon that put him on the road to gaining England honours.
from England’s training base in Zagreb, Croatia, for the European Under-17 Championships, Joe talked in glowing terms about the support he’s received from the academy since the age of eight.thefa.comSpeaking to
“It is credit to my coaches who have helped get me to this stage,” said Joe. “They’ve had me doing a few talks to the younger lads at the academy about the hard work I’ve put in since coming to Wimbledon when I was eight and how I’ve worked my way up to get in the England squad. The academy set-up has improved so much since I joined and it is great to be a part of it.
“I signed at Wimbledon as a left winger. Being outfield when I was younger has helped me to be quite good with my feet. When you’re younger, everyone takes a turn in goal and I must have done alright. I moved into goal when I was 12 and it seems like it was the right decision."
Joe has enjoyed the recognition from Wimbledon fans since his first England call-up in March, but he stressed the importance of remaining grounded.
“It has happened so quickly and sometimes I have to take a step back and realise that it’s quite a big thing to have achieved,” added Joe. “To be at such a big tournament is amazing. I’m enjoying the hype and my Twitter hasn’t stopped with supportive messages but the key now is to not get carried away, I need to stay focused.”
.websiteTo read the full interview, visit the fa.com
Joe kept a clean sheet against Ukraine on Sunday to help England U-17s to maintain a 100 per cent record and on Wednesday at 3.00 pm they take on the Netherlands in their final group game.