Foster not on England standby - Hodgson

Omnisports

March 28, 2016 1:59 AM

Roy Hodgson has not discussed the possibility of bringing Ben Foster into the England squad following Jack Butland's injury.

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Ben Foster has not been told to ready himself for an England call-up, despite Jack Butland suffering a fractured ankle in Saturday's friendly victory over Germany.

Butland had to be replaced during the first half of the 3-2 triumph in Berlin, with Fraser Forster coming on in his place.

Tom Heaton is also part of Hodgson's squad but, with first-choice Joe Hart absent from the current squad through injury, questions have been raised about the depth of England's goalkeeping stocks.

West Brom's Foster is the apparent frontrunner should Hodgson require any further cover, but the England boss says the option has not been considered.

"We haven't discussed that yet," he told a news conference. "I spoke to Ben before we got together for this get together to explain to him why I was taking Tom.

"We had a conversation because I know him quite well - we worked together at West Bromwich Albion.

"But we haven't got to a stage yet where we were actually discussing who the alternative goalkeepers might now be to the three that we had in mind when we started off, which was namely Hart, Butland and Forster.

"We lost Hart so we brought Tom in. We'll wait and see going forward."

Discussing Butland's injury, which is almost certain to rule him out of Euro 2016, Hodgson added: "It's very disturbing, very upsetting for us.

"Someone who has worked so hard this year and had such a good season with Stoke, forced himself into a situation where many people are saying it's going to be a really good fight between him and Joe for the first-team shirt, and also Fraser who has come onto the scene after recovering from injury.

"To finally get your chance against Germany and to fracture your ankle in that way, it was a devastating blow. I think all of us felt enormous sympathy for him. Empathy as well because a lot of players have suffered injuries in their career and know what it's like.

"But he was very strong about it all. Very stoic. He said to me 'I'll come back stronger and this won't affect my career in any way'. That was really good to hear.

"Our best wishes are with him and we're all going to miss him because we were hoping he would be a part of it."

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