Hart: We have a job to do

England Under-21s goalkeeper Joe Hart says the team have put last month’s result in Montenegro behind them as they meet them again in Leicester on Friday night.

Stuart Pearce’s side came away from Podgorica with what could be seen as a comfortable 3-0 win, but Hart knows not to look too much into what was, in reality, a tough game.

With six points on the board from their opening two 2009 UEFA European Championship qualifiers, the Manchester City man knows that England still have a job to do with Portugal currently sitting top of Group 3 on goal difference.

“I’d never been to eastern Europe, certainly not Montenegro and it was a very hostile night,” Hart told TheFA.com as he recalled the victory last month.

“It was their first proper home match at Under-21 level, so there was a lot of fans there. But we were different class on the night. I didn’t really have much to do, and I thought we could have won be even more than three goals.

“We went two-nil up early on and it was a matter of doing a job and getting the win.”

The 20-year-old continued: “We can’t take the result for granted though. They have some very good players. Their right winger was good and their curly-haired striker, Stevan Jovetic, was useful and gave us something to think about.

“We’re certainly not looking into the last result as a guide this time.”

Hart, along with Ben Alnwick, was one of Scott Carson’s understudies during the UEFA Finals in Holland in June, but this season has grasped the number one jersey for Under-21s, starting all three games this season, conceding only one, as Pearce begins to shape a new-look team.

Despite a finger injury at the start of this campaign that meant he wasn’t given the nod at City as Sven-Goran Eriksson opted for Kasper Schmeichel as first choice. However, Hart, who was signed from Shrewsbury by Stuart Pearce, has forced his way into the reckoning and has started the last three games for the Premiership high-flyers.

“Since the tournament I’ve got a little bit more used to the Under-21s set-up and have become more comfortable. There’s a new fresh side, with good players, and a fresh challenge and everyone is going for it.

“Everyone has settled in and there’s a good atmosphere again, all the lads get on well and they’ve also made an impact on the pitch, with Dexter [Blackstock] setting up Andrew [Surman] in Montenegro.

“Pearce just wants us to do well, he wants the team to win and he wants England to win, we all know how passionate he is."

He added: “Being at Manchester City has certainly given me some great opportunities. Football’s not just about booting the ball about, it’s a big business and there can be a lot of pressure sometimes.

“You have to be mentally strong and focused on playing and as a keeper you need to concentrate for the whole game, even when you’ve got nothing to do.”

And as far as England is concerned, Hart has only one goal.

“I just want to concentrate on the Under-21s and be involved in every game possible. If that takes us through to Sweden in 2009 then I’ll be very happy.”

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