Schmeichel has role to play 'on field or not' - Hart
· Yahoo Sports
Kasper Schmeichel can still have "a huge influence" on the Celtic's Scottish Premiership title and Scottish Cup challenge despite a challenge to his position, says predecessor Joe Hart.
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However, the former Celtic and England number one believes Denmark international Schmeichel may have to make his contribution off the pitch after Viljami Sinisalo staked his claim for the starting spot between the posts.
Schmeichel, 39, was in the spotlight for his part in the team's 4-1 home loss to Stuttgart last month and Sinisalo, 24, has started Celtic's past three games.
Manager Martin O'Neill defended the veteran keeper and explained before Sunday's league draw at Rangers that Schmeichel had been ill.
Hart, who won seven trophies in three years at Celtic before retiring, insists the challenge will be nothing new for Schmeichel.
"That's life," Hart told BBC Radio Scotland's The Saturday Show. "That's football.
"He'll have been in it before. No one has a perfect career but I think it's important now that he's still a massive part of the squad.
"You know, he still has a huge influence on the team. No getting away from it, whether he's on the field or not."
Schmeichel is available for Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final match at Rangers but O'Neill has been pleased with Sinisalo's performances and how the ambitious Finn has had "an opportunity" to show his credentials as the long-term first choice.
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton believes O'Neill has "an easy decision" and that despite a stellar career Schmeichel "hasn't been good enough" this season.
Antti Niemi, who played for Rangers, Hearts and Finland, praised compatriot Sinisalo after his performance at Ibrox and thinks he has shown he can handle big game pressure.
Hart believes Schmeichel, who is out of contract at the end of the season, will still get some game time in the remaining weeks as Celtic bid for silverware in what has been a testing season, but is not convinced the Dane will go straight back into the team and stay there.
"I still think he'll have an important role to play in this title run-in and cup run-in," said Hart. " At the moment he's got a massive role to play for his football club.
"Sometimes I've done it as well. Sometimes it's not on the pitch. Like I say, I still think he'll get some important game time, but... Sinisalo was excellent, he was excellent in Stuttgart.
"I thought he had a really good, competent game on Sunday. They've got a really strong goalkeeping department, so I look forward to seeing how this one plays out."