Thursday 8 June 2017 15:11, UK
Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster says next season will be "huge" as he sets his sights on the 2018 World Cup in Russia and targets the No 1 shirt for England.
The 29-year-old is one of four goalkeepers - along with Joe Hart, Jack Butland and Tom Heaton - in a 25-man squad preparing for Saturday's Sky Live World Cup Qualifier against old rivals Scotland, as well as a friendly with France on Tuesday.
The Three Lions currently sit top of Group F, four points clear of second-place Slovakia, while Scotland need a win this weekend to keep their hopes of qualification alive, but Forster stressed the importance of an England victory at Hampden Park, as well as revealing his personal aims.
"It's obviously a crucial game that we want to win and we're under no illusions how tough that game will be," he told Sky Sports.
"It's important we go to Scotland and get those three points."
With six caps to his name, Forster has his sights firmly set on becoming England's first-choice goalkeeper in the not-so-distant future but admits competition is as fierce ever.
"There's obviously quite a lot of English 'keepers around at the minute but I think if you look at Joe Hart he's the No 1 at the minute," he said.
"He holds the shirt off the back of what he's done this season and what he's done previously for England.
"I want to one day be England's No 1 but that will take a lot of hard work."
Despite Hart being loaned out to Serie A side Torino last season, Gareth Southgate's confidence in the 30-year-old has not waned, the England boss starting him in all six games since taking over from Sam Allardyce last November.
Butland returned from a lengthy injury sustained on international duty in March 2016 to feature in Stoke's five final league games last term and is back in the fold, while impressive performances for Burnley have seen Heaton consistently included in the England squad since receiving his first senior call-up in 2015.
Forster, who played every minute of the Saints' league campaign last season, registering 14 clean sheets, knows he must impress both domestically and internationally in his bid to cement a place in Southgate's squad for the biggest competition in world football.
He said: "I need to go out and play as well as I can for Southampton and try to force my way onto that plane.
"If I play well then it puts the pressure on Joe to be performing week in week out, then ultimately the manager has to make a decision.
"It's a huge season for everyone and for me as well so I think, for me, I just want to come back and hit the ground running and have a great season.
"I want to work as hard as I can and keep improving."
Forster earned his first cap in 2013 under former manager Roy Hodgson and, after a knee injury ruled him out of most of the 2015 season, returned to fine form in early 2016 to earn an international recall, before being named in England's Euro 2016 squad, albeit as understudy to Hart.
"It's important for me and the other lads that are challenging just to do as well as you can at your club," said Forster, who praised the positivity among the England squad and feels the confidence among players and manager stand the side in good stead.
"It's a fantastic group of lads we've got at England at the minute and a new manager. It's exciting times and there's a real air of optimism."
