Belgium boss boosts Sels

BELGIUM boss Roberto Martinez insists Matz Sels did “not become a bad goalkeeper overnight”, despite the Belgian dropping to third-choice stopper at Newcastle United.

The 25-year-old was named in Martinez’s squad for upcoming internationals with Greece and Russia, despite having played just three times for United in 2017.

Those three appearances all came in the FA Cup, with Sels having slipped behind both Karl Darlow and Rob Elliot in the United goalkeeping pecking order.

That is despite the former Gent stopper having started the first nine Championship games of the campaign - and having been Rafa Benitez’s first-ever Newcastle signing.

“We must also look at the position of third goalkeeper,” Martinez told RTBF in Belgium.

“Sels is no longer included in Newcastle. Matz did not become bad overnight and his behaviour at his club is impeccable.”

Strangely, Martinez called up four goalkeepers in all - with Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois, Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet and Wolfsburg’s Koen Casteels also named in the squad.

And Casteels himself admits it is unusual for a manager to call up four goalkeepers, suggesting that Martinez has named Sels in the squad in order to give the United stopper a welcome boost.

“Four goalkeepers: it is something different, but in principle it does not matter,” Casteels told Voetbal Primeur.

“We all know each other. There is no reason why four goalkeepers can’t be chosen.

“So I do not know what the coach has in his mind.”