Haugaard determined to fight for Stoke place

Jakob Haugaard has become the forgotten member of Stoke City’s goalkeeping quartet and the Danish shot stopper insists he only has himself to blame.

Haugaard was signed by Mark Hughes in 2015 to replace veteran Thomas Sorensen and put pressure on first choice Jack Butland.

His chance came last season when Butland injured his ankle while on international duty, but he failed to impress Hughes and was subsequently dropped when fellow back up Shay Given became available.

And with the Lee Grant joining in the summer, Haugaard is now at the back of the Stoke queue but he is determined to fight for his place and impress Hughes.

“I had a couple of games last season when Jack got injured, but it didn’t really work out as I wanted to. I was not performing well and the team was not performing well,” he said.

Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images

“It’s easy to say, but you have to show it and I can’t do that at the moment. They weren’t the best games for me personally and not for the team as well.

“That’s not how I want to be as a goalkeeper, but you have to take your chance when it comes and I didn’t.

“When you concede loads of goals and things are not working out for you of course you lose your confidence. But it’s a long time ago now and I am looking forward.

“Every day in training is great. I’ve got great goalkeepers next to me and a great goalkeeper coach as well, so I’m not complaining about anything at the moment, I’m just not playing, but I will keep doing my best.”