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McLeish awaits Hart decision

14 Apr 2010 - 12:19:49

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Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish believes that goalkeeper Joe Hart will struggle to adjust if he is forced to return to Manchester City as a back-up to Shay Given next season.

Hart has excelled during a season-long loan at St Andrew's, with McLeish still waiting to find out if there is any chance of retaining the England international's services next term.

He commented: "It will great to get an early nod on Joe from City, because we wouldn't want to be going into the May-June period thinking that Joe is going to be coming back here when he is not.

"We have to get an answer from City quite soon and I am sure Joe wants an answer as well.

"Manchester City have every right to answer when they want to. He is their player and they maybe don't have their plans fully in place yet. I can totally understand that.

"I am being selfish for Birmingham and they are doing it for Manchester City reasons, so it is a difficult one. Joe is unfortunately caught in the middle of it.

"I know managers can't think about one player and one team. You have to think about the whole team and the whole club and you have to have a vision for the whole club.

"But the human element in me says a player of Joe's magnitude, after what he has done this season, will find it very difficult to be sitting on someone's bench next season.

"I just don't see it in that guy's nature to put up with that, but it will be someone else's problem if that is the decision Manchester City make."