Birmingham City goalkeeper Joe Hart targets England's No.1 jersey

Young shot-stopper hopes Three Lions' starting XI has a Hart

2 Mar 2010 10:30:00

By Alan Dawson

More On :  England
Joe Hart (Getty Images)

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, who is producing stellar work on loan at Birmingham City, has revealed his ambition of becoming England's primary shot-stopper.

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The burgeoning 23-year-old has been included in manager Fabio Capello's squad for Wednesday evening's international friendly against Egypt, and despite receiving only one international cap, Hart is expected to start the game at Wembley.

"I'm not England's first-choice goalkeeper, but that's the target," Hart proclaimed in The Daily Express. "Whatever comes with it I can cope. If I couldn't, I wouldn't be talking about it."

Hart added that he believes his age could have been a scuppered his chances of being included in previous senior selections, with Portsmouth veteran David James and West Ham United's Robert Green often preferred to the City glovesman.

"I'm not saying I've had people against me, but my age does go against me sometimes. Stuff you do goes against you - you've just got to look at Jamo [David James]. He's had everything thrown at him, I don't think he can have any more thrown at him. But it doesn't faze the guy. He's been absolutely brilliant. That's the kind of person you've got to look at."

He continued: "Just to be involved with England means the world to me, but the World Cup is something different.

"Being in the normal squad, seeing how these superstars do it - and they are superstars, great players - just to see how they go about things, how people prepare themselves really does help.

"Being at the World Cup and not playing, like Theo Walcott last time, that wouldn't be a disappointment for me. To be picked in that elite 23 would mean everything.

"I'll work every day to be involved in it. If I'm not picked I can look back at my season and think I gave everything, no regrets."

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