Joe Hart took aim at Igor Tudor after Antonin Kinsky’s 17-minute nightmare against Atletico Madrid, questioning the Tottenham manager’s decision to play the rookie goalkeeper in such a high-pressure match.
Eyebrows were raised ahead tonight’s Champions League last-16 first leg as Guglielmo Vicario was dropped from Spurs’ starting XI in favour of Kinsky, who had previously made just two Carabao Cup appearances for the club this season.
And the choice backfired spectacularly, with the 22-year-old Czech at fault for 2 of Atleti’s goals in an astonishing first-half capitulation from the visitors on the Metropolitano Stadium.
‘I’ve been attempting to make sense of it and my overall feeling is that my heart is completely broken for the lad,’ the ex-England and Manchester City shot-stopper said on TNT Sports’ commentary of the match.
‘Look, I realize it’s a tricky sport, it’s the Champions League, it’s such a crucial game.
‘I said it before the sport, he [Tudor] had a chance to provide us the explanation why he put him in goal and he didn’t say.
‘Was he getting a chance tonight? Was he just filling the the gloves for one game? Who knows?
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‘And I’m sure that felt just like the message given to him [Kinsky] on such a special night.’
Hart went on: ‘I’m not making excuses for the lad, he’s had a horrible 14 minutes. A slip and that third goal was just every thing that he didn’t need to occur.
‘I don’t even know what to say, I’ve seen the lot, the identical as you [TNT Sports’ commentary team of Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist]. I do know you’re racking your brains from what you’ve seen in football.
‘I’m just heartbroken from the lad, absolutely heartbroken. This Tottenham team is everywhere in the shop in the meanwhile.’
‘Heartbroken’ Joe Hart sends message to Igor Tudor over Antonin Kinsky decision
More to follow.
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