GUS POYET has urged Roy Hodgson to take a closer look at Lee Cattermole by calling him up for the next England get-together – particularly if the opinion he has of the Sunderland midfielder is based on an ‘unfair’ bad-boy reputation.

Poyet feared he would not be able to rely on the Stockton-born tough tackler when he first took over from Paolo Di Canio 13 months ago.

The Sunderland boss admitted that he was wrong to have taken on the job believing what he had read about to Cattermole, which was based on his tendency to pick up suspensions for red cards.

However, a willingness to learn and adapt to the role being asked of him has impressed Poyet. He thinks Hodgson could be pleasantly surprised if he had him on the international stage.

Cattermole has yet to receive a call, despite his excellent form on Wearside where he has not had a red card in more than a year.

“Like everybody else, before I came here, I’d already decided what Lee was like based on what everyone on the outside thinks about Lee,” said Poyet.

“It’s dangerous to have preconceptions about anyone you haven’t worked with before. Yes, I agree, but we are all the same. That’s part of life. If somebody tells me this guy is a bastard and I need to be careful, then I will be.

“With Lee, I was told he was impossible to control, that he will get sent off a hundred times and he will let you down so many times. I was told he could not play football like I want to. I was told he was training on his own away from everybody else.

“I don’t know I thought I’d meet Lee and he’d have a gun and he’d shoot me in the head! Everything was bad, but these people don’t know him. Then you train with him and you see his commitment.”

Poyet accepts there are other players in contention for an England call capable of forcing their way into Hodgson’s squad again. In Cattermole, though, the Sunderland manager is adamant he would be wearing the skipper’s armband for his country if he was from his homeland.

“Maybe the England coaches don’t know Lee,” said Poyet. “That’s a good idea, but the problem is there have been others playing well. It’s about timing and maybe he will get a chance in the next friendly. Jack Colback was called up and hasn’t been back. Fabian Delph and Jonjo Shelvey have been in the squad. Maybe they will take a look at Lee and they will like what they see. When you see him working closely, your opinion will change.”

He added: “Lee would be a hero (in Uruguay), he would be the captain. The good thing about being the manager of a national team is you pick the players you want. I had preconceptions of Lee before I came in, maybe the England coaches don’t know him like I do.”

Cattermole, named the North-East Football Writers’ player of the year last week, is certain to be on Poyet’s teamsheet at Leicester today, even though he missed the draw with Everton through suspension. That is a huge turnaround from earlier in his reign, when the former Brighton boss was on the verge of selling him to Stoke in January.

“I trust my ability to coach players but this is all down to Lee,” said Poyet. “He has learned a lot. He isn’t just all about commitment and passion, he is always trying to improve. He used to go on to the pitch with a certain mentality, but now he’s different.

“He knows he’s got a role to do and that’s something we like. He understands that role better than anyone. I don’t know who my most improved player was at Brighton, but here it is Lee, no doubt. Lee has been outstanding.”