Sven backs Hart for England

City boss sure keeper has quality to break into senior set-up

By James Dall   Last updated: 7th May 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Sven backs Hart for England

Hart: Support from Sven

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Manchester City boss Sven Goran Eriksson has offered a glowing appraisal of goalkeeper Joe Hart's development, tipping the 21-year-old to soon break into the England senior set-up.

Hart, already capped at Under 21 level, has impressed for City this season after becoming Eriksson's No.1 ahead of the likes of Andreas Isaksson and Kasper Schmeichel.

And after another excellent display against Liverpool at the weekend, Eriksson believes Hart is edging closer to securing his first call-up from England boss Fabio Capello, whose next game in charge is on 28th May against USA.

"Joe has been outstanding," Sven said on the club's official website. "I think we are spoiled with the keepers we have at this club, and we are coming to expect that he is playing as well as he is.

"I always said that I believed that he would play for England, sooner or later, but I think that could be very soon.

Matured

"He is in fantastic form at the moment, and he is spoiling us because we think the way he is playing now is normal. Some of his saves against Liverpool were incredible.

"He's matured as a player and as a person this year and in the future I think he will be a real leader.

"He already is one, in some ways, but it's not easy to be one in your first full season playing in the Premier League, and he's just 21 years old still.

"It's been an excellent year for him, he's a great talent and is already a very good player - and, of course, he will only get better and better."

Click Here for Your Free Bet