'He ticks all the boxes' - Darren Moore talks signing Josef Bursik for Doncaster Rovers

The 20-year-old joined Rovers on a season-long loan from Stoke City last week, ending a pursuit that had begun several months ago, much to Moore’s delight.

“I’m really pleased to get him in,” the Rovers boss told the Free Press.

“When we identified him at the end of last season, Joe was on a list of four potential keepers we thought we could bring in.

“We were delighted to get him on board because we felt he was suited to what we wanted coming in here - someone with a good pedigree, a good background, good size and stature and someone we feel we could take to the next level with consistency to perform.

“For one so young he’s got a lot of footballing experience already and we’re hopeful he can continue that with us.”

Bursik spent last season on loan at Accrington Stanley, starting 20 matches - including the draw with Rovers at the Keepmoat in December - before Covid-19 brought a premature end to the campaign.

Moore was keen to secure a goalkeeper with the ability to fulfil his desire of playing out from the back, as Seny Dieng did last season.

And he was impressed with Bursik in his first outing for Rovers in Saturday’s goalless draw with Derby County, producing several good reaction stops.

“He pulled a couple of good saves off with his positional sense being correct,” Moore said.

“That will have done him the world of good.

“He’s got good maturity for his age. He’s still developing and refining himself into the complete goalkeeper, but he’s someone we’re delighted to have in here.

“He’s got all those attributes we wanted as well as his size.

“We had on our radar a certain amount of goalkeepers that we felt are suited to what we want here and he ticks all those boxes.”

Bursik is in line to make his competitive debut for Rovers in Saturday’s Carabao Cup tie with Blackburn Rovers.

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