Man City's Joe Hart warned rivals are ready for England No.1 spot should he lose form

Posted Saturday, November 15, 2014 by Dailystar.co.uk

ROY HODGSON last night warned Joe Hart his England place will be under threat if he suffers a slump like last season.

Three Lions boss Hodgson kept faith with the Manchester City keeper a year ago, when he was dropped by his club at the end of October following a succession of high-profile blunders.

He was axed for three City games, including a Champions League clash with CSKA Moscow. But Hodgson still picked him for the glamour friendly Germany at Wembley in November which England lost 1-0.

Hodgson admits he had little choice back then to stick with Hart since rivals Ben Foster and Fraser Forster were not doing well enough to displace him.

The pair have been in great form this season, though, especially Southampton stopper Forster, who has conceded just four Premier League goals this season to help his side claim a shock second place.

"Fraser is getting better and Ben has come forward,” said Hodgson.

Man City's Joe Hart warned rivals are ready for England No.1 spot should he lose form
COMPETITION: Joe Hart is facing increasing competition from Ben Foster (left) and Fraser Forster

"But when Joe was under his severest criticism, Ben and Fraser weren’t at the level of form they are today.

"The competition at City will keep Joe on his toes.”

Hart has not let in a goal for England since Luis Suarez scored the winner for Uruguay at the World Cup, a run of four successive games since Brazil.

"As a coach, it’s good if you know who your best players are,” added Hodgson, who will pick Hart again today for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Slovenia at Wembley.

"Once you have that, there’ll be moments when they vindicate that or not, because they go through periods.

"I try to divorce form from quality. I’ve always believed in Joe’s quality.

"There was a time when he was suffering from a lack of form and people suggested he might not keep his place in the England team, but he never showed anything with us that would have led to me questioning him.

"A goalkeeper can make a mistake in any game. If you replace him on the first mistake, you can make a rod for your back.

"If you think you are going to drop a guy and play someone else, you have to go with that other player for some time.”

Hodgson praised Hart for not buckling under the pressure, following all the flak he endured at times last season.

"When you’ve played a lot of games and the criticism is coming at you, there must be a moment when you wonder whether you need all this,” the England boss said.

"So you have to have that passion.”