Athlete

Ask any keeper what it's like when there's a recognised No. 1, the competition might not be as high. You're after that competition because it drives you on further.

Whether you play or whether you're on the bench, or however it may be, at some point in your career you will be one of those three roles. You will either be a young, up-and-coming goalkeeper watching the experienced one, you'll either be on the bench or you'll be in goal yourself.

Coming to Stoke was a chance for me to develop and take my game to the next level.

I would have liked to have played more but injuries are part and parcel of football and you've got to shoulder it, got to take it on and get on with it.

As a goalkeeper experience is a massive thing, and there is nothing better than playing games, which thankfully I managed to do at the Olympics.

I want to become the best goalkeeper in the country and the best goalkeeper around.

It is obviously wonderful to be linked with a club with the history of Liverpool.

Regardless of what happens, I want to be part of a successful England team and if I have to swallow my pride and disappointment at not being the number one, then I've got to do that for us to be successful and obviously to help whoever is in goal perform at their best.

You've always got to back yourself.

I'm at Stoke, I'm enjoying it, it's not my fault and I shouldn't be discriminated against just because who I play for.

I've played for England Under-21s, in the Under-20 World Cup and I've been part of the play-offs in the Championship. But in terms of helping my career and getting me ready, going to Cheltenham Town was a massive experience.

I don't know how many 19 year-olds are playing in the Championship, there's certainly not any playing in the Premiership. It depends on what type of character you are really.

I hardly had any coaching until I joined Birmingham where I had Dave Watson for five years. He's one of the best and I knew how important that was for me.

I've experienced tournament wins with younger age groups and I know how good it feels - it's about carrying on.

I'm confident about playing on the big stage.

I've dealt with bigger things than the odd performance, dealt with a hell of a long time out of the game from an injury which shouldn't have kept me out for that long. I've had to deal with fears of not playing again, I'm a bigger man for it and I will be better for it in the future.

I do want to play at the top.

It is obviously wonderful to be linked with a club with the history of Liverpool.

You've got to do your homework, and you've got to look at what makes people successful, what makes penalty takers unsuccessful. Ultimately, they're the ones kicking it, so how can you transfer the pressure on to them? How can you disrupt their pattern to make it difficult?

I want to play in the Champions League and I want to win trophies.