England manager Gareth Southgate has defended goalkeeper Joe Hart by claiming that he is comfortable enough to play the ball out from the back with his feet.
The Manchester City stopper was shipped out on loan to Torino at the start of the season due to fears of Citizens boss Pep Guardiola that he was unable to match his own passing ethos.
Southgate believes that Hart has done enough to prove Guardiola wrong over the past eight months, despite recent criticism from Torino president Urbano Cairo, who claimed that he "did not expect so many mistakes" from the Three Lions keeper.
"He's been asked to play with his feet this season. They play out in quite tight areas," he told reporters. "Every coach will want that done slightly differently. Some will demand that you play out at every possible moment and I don't know what he was asked to do at City earlier in the season.
"But I think his decision making, in the way I like a goalkeeper to play, has been good. He's been brave enough to start a move with his feet at the right moments and if he's not thought a teammate was in the right position he's taken a different option. In terms of how we've asked him to play I don't see any issue - but every manager will view that a little bit differently.
"His impact for us has been excellent. And he's recognised that he's missed something this season as regards the level of games and the environment he'd been in previously. He's another player who wants to be the best he possibly can and he's pretty self-critical."
Hart conceded 62 goals in 36 games for Torino, keeping just five clean sheets all term, and has reportedly seen his asking price lowered by Man City.
Daniel Lewis
