GAVIN BAZUNU IS adamant that he has proven he is Premier League quality despite a turbulent debut season as Southampton’s No.1 goalkeeper.
But the Republic of Ireland international insists he wants to help the club “get back where they belong” in the English top flight after suffering relegation.
Bazunu played the first 32 games of the campaign but was dropped for the run-in by manager Ruben Selles. The Spaniard was the club’s third manager of a beleaguered season and has since departed St Mary’s with Russell Martin replacing him.
The 21-year-old goalkeeper has spoken on the phone with his new boss and will meet him for the first time when he returns to pre-season training on Thursday.
And while Bazunu is preparing himself to undo the damage of last term, he says that the last 12 months have shown him where he belongs.
“Probably the fact that I am good enough to play in the Premier League consistently. That was probably the biggest thing. Playing against teams like Man City three times, Arsenal twice. Playing against those teams and having some really good performances, just proved to me ‘this is my level’,” Bazunu explained.
“I think I proved that this season, playing under three different managers, I played in the majority of games under every one of the managers. It just proves, no matter who comes in I will respect what they have to say and I will be able to do what they want on the pitch.
“It was a disappointing season for the team, we ended up getting relegated, that is a big burden and responsibility on myself and my teammates. We’ve got to take responsibility for that,” he continued.
“But on a personal level for me to come in and in my first season in the Premier League to hold that position for 32 games and to have some of my strongest performances against top opposition in the league, and to prove to not just myself but to others around that I’m capable of playing that level.
“Having that experience of playing international football previous to going in and playing in the Premier League was a massive confidence booster but then, to be in there and play 32 games in a row and to really experience what the Premier League is, you know there was so difficult moments but there was also some brilliant games that I played in.
“I played against some of the top oppositions and that re-enforces that belief in me and hopefully other people that I am capable of playing at that level.”
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher voiced his doubts on Monday Night Football as Southampton were on the brink of relegation, singling Bazunu out as a “big problem” and citing his shot-stopping ability.
“That’s just part of the game. I don’t listen to any outside noise. I make sure I listen to the people I care about most. Who I feel are closest to me and who are going to give the best opinion on me, honestly,” Bazunu said of the Carragher criticism.
“For me, I’m my own harshest critic. Nothing anyone else can say can really bear any relevance to me. Because I know I’m very honest with myself and that will get me to the next level.
“That’s your job as a player, to find that self belief,” he added. “I don’t think many players get to the level of playing in the Premier League if they don’t have any self belief.”
Bazunu was given extra time off by Southampton because of his international commitments, and the Ireland goalkeeper has voiced his support for manager Stephen Kenny after a disappointing Euro 2024 qualifying window saw them lose 2-1 away to Greece.
A 3-0 win at home to Gibraltar followed but the manner of the defeat in Athens has seen the pressure on Kenny increase with Ireland third in the group and facing a trip to France on 7 September followed by the visit of the Netherlands three days later.
“I think he has been brilliant. I think he has been really brave in allowing us to play such open and expansive football. You can see how many young players he has brought into the team,” Bazunu said.
“I think it has been a real revolution of the Irish team and hopefully coming in the next year or two years, you can see these players really fulfil their potential and have a really strong team.
“For me, I just go out and play the game. I don’t think about the pressure on managers or team-mates. I’m solely there to play my game and that’s all I can do. For Stephen, like I said, I think he’s been an incredible manager for us and I think he’s been extremely brave to play the players that he’s played. To really bring them through and show that they all have international quality.
“You’ve seen the way we’ve performed against Portugal, both home and away. Belgium, against some of the top opposition. You saw the France game at home. That game was very tight, it was just one really good strike that set the two teams apart. I don’t see why we can’t go out and have two more really big performances, but more importantly pick up points.”
