Jack Hinshelwood has revealed that he wasn’t surprised to see Brighton teammate Jason Steele called up to the England squad for their upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
The goalkeeper has not featured in the Premier League so far this season, with Bart Verbruggen remaining the Seagulls’ No. 1.
However, Thomas Tuchel has turned to the ex-Blackburn Rovers shot-stopper to add some experience to his ranks, recently alluding to how he is likely to be a part of his squad for this summer’s World Cup, albeit in a training goalkeeper role.
But Hinshelwood has stressed that Steele is more than just a positive character behind the scenes, and he believes that the 35-year-old is capable of making a big impact within the squad.
Speaking to Henry Winter about the call-up, the England Under-21 international said: “It didn’t come as a surprise to people at Brighton. Everyone at Brighton knows what a character Jason is, and also the quality he has is unbelievable.
“I dread having to press him in training. It’s hard work. He’s a great guy, and similar to Danny (Welbeck), he really pushes the standards at Brighton. He’s great for the young lads, and he provides that experience in the changing room. That’s exactly what he’ll bring here. He can be a big asset.”
Steele has made five appearances for Brighton so far this season in all competitions, starting twice in the FA Cup and three times in the Carabao Cup. But with the Seagulls now knocked out of both competitions, it remains to be seen whether he will feature at club level before this summer’s international tournament gets underway.
Asked about how Steele has had to adjust to life as second-choice goalkeeper behind Verbruggen, Hinshelwood continued: “It probably has been tough for him, but testament to his character, you wouldn’t have noticed that in the way he acts and the way he performs in training.
“Every time he’s been called upon this season, he could have arguably been man of the match in every game. Against Oxford, he made some unbelievable saves. Recently, we played (Manchester) United in the FA Cup, and he was also incredible. He’s such a well-respected figure as well.”