Pick Butland for Russia, Gareth, and tell him NOW

SITTING next to Sven Goran Eriksson at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, I asked the former England manager what he would do if he was in Gareth Southgate’s position.

Would he stand by Joe Hart — a goalkeeper who he made his No 1 at Manchester City — or go for someone else, such as Stoke’s Jack butland?

Sven thought the same as me: if Hart is not even playing for West Ham, then how on earth can you start him for England? It just isn’t logical.

As a goalkeeper, you have to be sharp, you have to be ready. unless Hart can force his way into the Hammers’ Premier league team, then I don’t see how he could play at the World Cup.

For me, butland is our man. yes, he messed up against leicester. Stoke were leading 1-0 and his error gifted the home side their second-half equaliser.

It was an horrendous mistake but butland’s reaction to conceding an own goal was first class. He went on to make two of the saves of the season to thwart Riyad Mahrez and Harry Maguire. butland could easily have gone into his shell, but instead he stood up and got on with his job. We learnt more about him from his reaction than we did from his howler.

Southgate was at Turf Moor on Saturday and burnley’s goalkeepers, Nick Pope and Tom Heaton, aren’t bad.

Everton’s Jordan Pickford doesn’t fill me with confidence, while Fraser Forster of Southampton is in a similar position to Hart after dropping down the pecking order at his club. We have a lot of good goalkeepers, but the best thing Southgate can do now is tell one of them he will be his England No 1. Every time we go into a World Cup there is a distraction surrounding the team. Who will be our star striker? Who will start where? by telling butland he is his man, Southgate will give the 24-year- old the opportunity to get into the right mindset for Russia. look at the problems that have been caused at liverpool by manager Jurgen Klopp juggling loris Karius and Simon Mignolet. Constant changing does not fill goalkeepers with confidence.

Next month’s friendlies against Holland and Italy will tell us more about what Southgate thinks, but if he gives butland the nod, I don’t think anyone would say that is a disgraceful decision.

For me, it would be the right one.