Joe Hart: We've progressed, but there is still more to do

Thursday 11 Jun 2015
Joe Hart in training on Thursday

Joe Hart believes England have improved as a defensive unit during their ten-game unbeaten run.

The Three Lions have not lost a game since last year's World Cup - and Hart has kept six clean sheets during that time. 

He says Roy Hodgson's men will be aiming to finish the international season on a high when they travel to Slovenia for their European Championship qualifier on Sunday. 

Slovenia v England

Euro 2016 Qualifier
5pm BST, Sunday 14 June
Stadion Stozice, Ljubljana
Live on ITV 1

The Manchester City goalkeeper insists the team's attention remains solely on securing qualification for France 2016 as quickly as possible and thinks they will face a difficult task in Ljubljana. 

"Slovenia is a tough game and they are one of the teams that can realistically catch us in the group," said Hart.

"We're going to take it one game at a time and all of our attention is on that at the moment.

"We've defended well as a team this year, that was something we wanted to nail down on after a disappointing World Cup.

Joe Hart dives

Joe Hart makes a save in training

"It's something we've addressed, we've worked hard on it as a team and as well as being solid at the back, we've got so much attacking flair." 

Sunday's qualifier also marks a year since England began their World Cup campaign with a defeat to Italy in Manaus and Hart says the team have made positive steps since the tournament.

And while the Three Lions lead Group E by six points, he believes it is no more than was expected of them coming into qualifying. 

Joe Hart and Fabian Delph speaks to the press

"We've made as much progress as is possible in a qualifying campaign," he said. 

"It's not like the level of the group stages in a World Cup. We get opposition put in front of us and we're expected to win most of the games."

He added: "We've done that. We've done the minimum, I think. We're building a team and building an ethos.

"We know how we want to play and we'll continue to do that. We want as get as many qualifying wins as possible and get into France as quickly as possible."

By FA Staff