Birmingham boss Alex McLeish wants keeper Hart to stay
Hart has been a revelation in the Birmingham goal
English Premier League News – BBC Sport : Birmingham manager Alex McLeish wants to keep on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart at St Andrew’s for at least another season.
McLeish would like to make the 22-year-old keeper’s move permanent but failing that he hopes to extend the loan deal.
McLeish said: “I’ve put into the system that our chief executive should be talking to City about next season.
“Joe loves it here and we’d like to think we have improved him with some of the things we have worked on.”
Hart has made 66 starts for City since joining from Shrewsbury in 2006 but his first-team chances have been limited since the arrival of Shay Given from Newcastle last February.
Hart has been at St Andrew’s since the start of the season and has impressed in Birmingham’s run to eighth in the top flight.
Only Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa have conceded fewer Premier League goals than Birmingham’s 26 this season.
“We spoke to City a couple of months ago but not since then, and Joe has had no contact from them,” added McLeish.
“Joe loves his team-mates here, he loves the club and the ambience. When you have the feelgood factor, the players can give their best and play without fear.
“If I can’t get Hart permanently, would I settle for another loan season? Yes.
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“We have ironed out a few rough edges and I hope City recognise that and give us a bit of goodwill for next season.”
McLeish believes that Hart should go to the World Cup with Fabio Capello’s England squad, but not be first choice goalkeeper.
“I met Fabio at a dinner and he expressed his delight at Joe,” said McLeish. “He is pleased he is playing games every week. I am sure Fabio will have his name ticked for the trip to South Africa.
“But it would be a massive step to throw a young keeper who has only one cap into a World Cup.
“Joe could handle it but it would be better to be fed into the system before you embark on a World Cup finals.
“If he was to make one error in South Africa, it is there for the whole world to see.
“You are scrutinised and the media are relentless in their persecution of people who make a mistake at that level.
“He should be eased in. I would think Capello will rely on experience in South Africa in terms of who plays.”
Charles Joseph Hart – Goalkeeper – Manchester City
Charles Joseph Hart – Goalkeeper – Manchester City
Charles Joseph “Joe” Hart (born 19 April 1987 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire) is an English football goalkeeper with Manchester City. He is a regular for the England Under-21 team and has been capped as a full international for England.
Personal information
Full name : Charles Joseph Hart
Date of birth : April 19, 1987 (1987-04-19) (age 21)
Place of birth : Shrewsbury, England
Height : 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Playing position : Goalkeeper
Current club : Manchester City
League : English Barclays Premier League
Manchester City
With Hart in Belgium preparing to make his fifth appearance for the England U19 squad, in the Elite qualifying round for the 2006 UEFA U-19 Championship,[3] it was announced that the move to Manchester City had taken place.[4] England lost the match to Serbia and Montenegro and failed to qualify.
On 22 May 2006, City paid an initial £600,000 for Hart, but, depending on appearances, the fee could rise to a total of £1,500,000.
Hart made his debut for City on 14 October 2006 after injuries ruled out Andreas Isaksson and Nicky Weaver for the Premier League match against Sheffield United. He kept a clean sheet in the match, which finished goalless.
Hart was selected by Stuart Pearce in the preliminary England Under-21 30-man squad for Euro 2007, and later made the final 23. In the team’s final friendly before the finals, Hart was selected for his first Under-21 start, and played the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 win over Slovakia at Carrow Road. However, Hart took no part in the finals, with Scott Carson playing in all of England’s four fixtures. Hart will be eligible for the U21s until the end of the Euro 2009 finals.
Former Manchester City manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson named Hart as Manchester City’s number 1 ahead of Andreas Isaksson. After his performance against Newcastle, Eriksson touted him as “one of the biggest talents in this country as a goalkeeper”, and that he had the potential to become an England international in the future.[5] Only months later, he made his England debut against Trinidad & Tobago on 1 June 2008.
After The Departure Of Andreas Isaksson Joe Hart Took the vacant number 1 jersey when the official 08/09 squad numbers were announced on 05 August 2008.
Tranmere Rovers
Hart spent the whole month of January 2007 on loan to League One club Tranmere Rovers. He made 6 appearances and conceded 8 goals. He was then named in his then-club manager Stuart Pearce’s first squad in his part-time role as England U21 coach, alongside another goalkeeper uncapped at U21 level, Ben Alnwick. He was not chosen to start the match on 6 February 2007 against Spain, but did come on as a substitute late in the game.
Blackpool
In April 2007, Hart joined Blackpool on loan as cover for the injured trio of Rhys Evans, Paul Rachubka and Lewis Edge. He kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 win for Blackpool at Huddersfield Town on 9 April 2007, in his first game for the Seasiders.[6] Blackpool won all five games in which Hart appeared, including a 6–3 win at Swansea City in his final game,[7] and he helped them claim a place in the end-of-season play-offs.
Source: For more information on Joe Hart, Man City F.C., Manchester City Goalkeeper, English Barclays Premier League Football Club, visit wikipedia.org