England

Gordon Banks: 'Jack Butland should be England number one'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 07 July 2016

England's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks calls for Jack Butland to be the national team's number one choice ahead of Joe Hart.

Legendary World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks has urged England's next manager to make Jack Butland his number one ahead of Joe Hart.

Hart faced criticism during Euro 2016 for a number of high-profile errors, including one which contributed towards England's humiliating exit at the hands of Iceland in the last 16.

Butland missed the tournament through injury, but Banks believes that the 23-year-old deserves to be given a chance as first choice, with one eye also on the future.

"That lad is a terrific goalkeeper and if I was the new manager, if I'd just got the job with England, I would put him in goal and I'd keep him in there," Banks told PA.

"He's only 23. I'd keep in him in there to get him the experience of being used to playing there. Because this lad is a terrific goalkeeper, he really is. I've seen him play a little bit. I've heard that he practices quite a lot and works hard so you couldn't wish for a better goalkeeper than that.

"[Hart's] concentration wasn't 100% I don't think - once he could get his hands on that ball he should have either pushed it away or caught it. He didn't do either and that was a bad, bad mistake and it lost us the match, which was a shame."

Butland has won just four caps for England since making his debut in 2012.