Southampton FC's Bazunu opens up on difficult 'learning' season

It wasn’t just that the 21-year-old - as of Monday - put in perhaps his most complete performance of the season against one of the league’s supposed elite.

It wasn’t just that he made a crucial late save to deny Conor Gallagher and help his side keep their points.

And it wasn’t just that he notched his second clean sheet of the season.

It’s that he did all of that when Saints were at their most desperate, following a period fraught with collective - and personal - strife.

When questions were asked of this entire Saints team and of Bazunu’s place in the side - and the league - the Republic of Ireland international stepped up in the only way he knows how: with calm assuredness and eye on whatever comes next.

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“I think it’s been difficult at times but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world," Bazunu told the Daily Echo of his first season in the Premier League. 

"I’ve learned so much and I’m going to continue to learn. I think I always knew it was going to be like this, I knew it wasn’t going to be plain-sailing.

"It’s the best league in the world, I’m coming in as a young goalkeeper, seeing these things for the first time and I think the most important thing is to not get caught up or get too disappointed about things and keep a level of confidence that I’m where I need to be and I just need to keep working hard.”

Gavin Bazunu makes a save against Newcastle in the EFL Cup. (Image: PA)

Saints spent upwards of £10m recruiting Bazunu from Manchester City this summer in part because of the immense talent he had already displayed on loan at Rochdale and Portsmouth. But also because of what he has the potential to become.

And that potential is no doubt due to the way he thinks, not just what he shows on the pitch.

Breaking into the Shamrock Rovers first team at the age of 15, Bazunu’s route to the top has been a lot longer than the age on his driving licence would lead you to believe possible.

It’s this journey that’s helped Bazunu develop the mindset that makes everyone around him so confident he’ll reach the lofty heights expected of him.

While he admits that he would have constantly replayed mistakes over in his mind earlier in his career, he’s managed to find focus as he’s gotten older.

“I think that’s the whole reason I had the two loan spells at Rochdale and Portsmouth, to go out and gain that experience and learn what it’s like to make mistakes when points are needed," Bazunu explains.

"Not just to have that experience on the pitch but to learn off the pitch how to move on from difficult games. That stood me well this season. Of course, there’s a bigger level of scrutiny playing in the Premier League but the processes are the same.

"Once the game is gone, there’s nothing you can do. You can look back and try to learn from your mistakes but there’s nothing you can do to try and change the results - so you’ve just got to look forward to the next game.”

Of course, Bazunu’s season has been far from perfect as he’s been part of a defence that has conceded in all but two Premier League games, letting in the third-most goals in the division.

Mistakes from the youngster have cost his side. Equally, mistakes from his defence have cost him.

Speaking on how he's dealt with the tough moments this season has provided, Bazunu said: “When times are tough and we were in a run of difficult results, I think the most important thing is to keep your circle small, listen to the people you care about and who want the best for you. They’re going to give you the advice you need to go forward.

“To be honest, there’s no real magic words that people could say to stop you from feeling how you feel after difficult games or after making mistakes. There’s nothing anyone could say to make you feel better.

"But there’s definitely people you can have around who will continue to point you in the right direction and continue to provide support. And to lean on those people when times are tough and trust their judgement, is the most important thing.

“I’m not superhuman so your confidence will go up and down every now and again but I think the most important thing is to have people around you who will continue to allow you to stay as level as possible.

Gavin Bazunu pictured in action against Brentford earlier this season (Image: PA)

"This game is crazy, there’s going to be ups, there’s going to be downs. And to find that consistent level in between, I think the ones who can stay at those levels for the longest times are the ones who are the best.”

When Bazunu arrived at St Mary’s as the club’s first signing of a busy and youthful summer rebuild, Ralph Hasenhuttl said it was no guarantee that he would start immediately ahead of the vastly more experienced Alex McCarthy.

But an impressive pre-season saw Bazunu get the nod for the opening day’s fixture at Tottenham Hotspur and he’s started every Premier League game since, even as rumours swirled in the national media that Saints might be considering a change.

“I don’t really look at those types of things and I wouldn’t be one to read into that too much,” Bazunu said of reports suggesting he could be dropped.

“They’re from outside sources. In here, we have private conversations and we know where we stand. Every day I just go out onto the pitch to train as hard as I can and prove that I should be the one playing.”

That faith in Bazunu - shown now by Hasenhuttl, Nathan Jones, and Ruben Selles - was rewarded with the fine performance he put in at Stamford Bridge. But Saints need consistency and that’s the new challenge. Not as if any of that is news to Bazunu.

“There’s been a really good feeling and atmosphere around the training ground after a really good result.

"But I think the most important thing is that we don’t get caught up in that one result and we make sure we work really hard this week to bring that consistency of performance and the level of performance that we showed and bring it into Saturday’s game.”