Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel believes that if Manuel Pellegrini decides to drop Joe Hart for this weekend’s game against Norwich it could be beneficial for the Manchester City shot-stopper.
But City midfielder Jack Rodwell has stated that he still believes the England man is the club’s first choice keeper.
Pellegrini has previously said that he picks players on form not reputation, therefore it could be Costel Pantilimon that lines up for the Sky Blues on Saturday.
“Being dropped can have a positive effect, but that depends how you take being dropped. If you sulk and stop doing your work, it’s going to have an adverse effect,” Friedel told the Mirror.
“If you knuckle down and work even harder and take your chance when you get in again, it can have a positive effect. You just never know with these things.”
Despite praising the performance that Pantilimon put in in the Capital One Cup in mid-week England midfielder Rodwell thinks that City need to stick with Hart.
“Joe is No 1 and Costel is good competition for him. He is a good lad, who trains well every day. He and Richard Wright are both good, but Joe is No 1,” he told the Telegraph.
“Costel put on a good performance at Newcastle. He is an international keeper, but having Joe in front of you it would be difficult for a lot of keepers.”
With a long career already behind him Friedel knows that it is not as simple as just dropping Hart from the starting team.
“All goalkeepers go through ups and down, and goalkeeping is very much a confidence position,” said Friedel.
“Joe has never struck me as a person who lacks in the confidence department.
“The manager has a decision to make and he’s the only one who knows how Joe’s performing day-in, day-out in training.
“If he feels he’s performing well, he’ll stick with him. If he feels he needs a rest, he’ll put the other fella in.
“That’s why it’s not as easy as ‘right, we’re going to drop Joe Hart’ because you don’t want to lose the best Joe Hart because the best Joe Hart is England’s No.1.”
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