Jordan Pickford has vowed to continue to remain a key leader out on the pitch for Everton despite being demoted as vice-captain.
Former boss Frank Lampard promoted Pickford to the role of vice-captain last summer, and it was a role that he would keep under Sean Dyche following his arrival as manager in late January.
However, James Tarkowski was the man chosen to skipper the Blues in the absence of Coleman during this pre-season, with the full-back still recovering from the knee injury he picked up against Leicester City in May.
Ahead of Everton’s opening day defeat to Fulham at the weekend, Blues boss Dyche explained why he made the decision, and now speaking for the first time about the call, Pickford believes the change wouldn’t impact his influence on the field.
“I was vice-captain last year under the previous manager,” he told evertonfc.com. “Then the Gaffer kept that when he came into the job.
“He pulled me in [this summer] and said he wants an outfield player to be a captain. First and foremost, Seamus is the full captain.
“But he said he wanted to have an outfield captain as the vice. I said, ‘You’re the manager’, and told him that’s okay. I will still be Jordan Pickford out on the pitch.
“You need more than one leader out on the pitch; I can do my job as leading. I will still be the same Jordan Pickford whether I have got the armband or not.”