Begovic still has Stoke future
Stoke manager Mark Hughes insists goalkeeper Asmir Begovic still has a future at the club despite the Bosnian being left out of the squad last week after stating he did not want to sit on the bench.
Hughes's intention was always to give England Under-21 international Jack Butland a couple of games towards the end of the season and last weekend's defeat at Swansea was the first of those.
However, Begovic's decision to tell the Potters boss he did not want to be a substitute at the Liberty Stadium has only increased speculation about his future at the club.
Hughes insists, however, he is not laying the groundwork for Begovic's departure in the summer, although he admits he cannot say for certain whether the goalkeeper will be at the club next season.
"I have said before it was my intention, if I felt it was appropriate, to give Jack some games and that was what I did," said the Stoke boss.
"I told Asmir and a number of other players who were not involved in the starting XI.
"He wasn't involved because he felt he should have been and his mind was not focused to be on the bench - which I understood to be honest and I was okay with that.
"People have misinterpreted this and it needs clarification.
"Nothing has changed from our point of view. I have given a promising young keeper, who we think highly of, a game and he'll get another game and that's it, it is part of his development.
"Whether or not that has changed other people's view of the situation I don't know, but from our point of view it's as we were.
"Our intention is that Asmir stays. We don't know if that is going to be the case at the moment because those talks were always scheduled for the end of the season.
"If Asmir stays we will continue to look to develop Jack and the likelihood is he would probably go out on loan again (he spent time with Sky Bet Championship side Derby earlier in the campaign), if the right club was available."
Butland will start again in Saturday's visit of Tottenham, after which time Hughes will make a decision as to who plays in the final two games.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has challenged his side to finish the campaign with three straight victories, which would see them back in European competition next season.
Spurs head to Stoke looking for a response following last weekend's frustrating 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City.
Following just one win from the past five matches, hopes of forcing their way into the Barclays Premier League's top four are all but over.
Pochettino, though, called for focus to keep Tottenham, currently sixth, ahead of his former club Southampton, who are only one point behind.
"This is our challenge now, to win the last three games we have left to get the nine points. Our (first) objective to reach the Champions League is difficult, but if not the Europa League is our target now," he said.
Pochettino rejected suggestions European football's second-tier tournament would have a detrimental impact on domestic form.
He said: "To be involved in the different competitions, Champions League or Europa League, would be good for Tottenham.
"We want to win the next game, then the next one. This is our objective. There is no need to explain too much.
"I think this is a good thing for the club to stay in the next European competition."
Stoke look on course for a top-10 finish, which all things being relative would represent steady progress for Mark Hughes' side.
Pochettino is expecting a stern test at the Britannia Stadium.
"It is very difficult. I have the experience of this from playing there with Southampton," said the Spurs manager, who will have midfielders Mousa Dembele and Andros Townsend back in contention following injury.
"The wind there is not easy, because it is open at the corner. If the weather is going to be like it has been the last few days, it will be difficult to play at the Britannia."
Source: PAR
