Manchester City's Adam Johnson says missing out on World Cup made him a better player
Adam Johnson admits suffering World Cup rejection 12 months ago has driven him on to improve as a player with England and Manchester City.
Johnson was part of Capello's provisional squad of 30 for the finals in South Africa but failed to make the final 23. The winger has responded by helping City qualify for the Champions League and win the FA Cup this season and impressed when on international duty.
Now he is looking to help England overcome Switzerland at Wembley on Saturday and take a major step towards qualifying for the Euro 2012 finals next summer.
Johnson said: "I was really disappointed last summer to miss out on the World Cup finals.
"I was pleased to get in the 30 but really disappointed not to go to South Africa.
"I thought I was in good form after moving from Middlesbrough four months earlier.
"Maybe in hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise for me, a bit too soon after coming out of the Championship.
"But it has certainly helped me drive myself on even more.
"It made me think 'I'm going to come back and try even harder', that sort of thing.
"That's why I got my head down. I've got to make up for a bit of lost time.
"I've got to wait another three years for a World Cup now but we want to get to the European Championships."
Johnson admits having the importance of the defensive side of his game impressed upon him has been a crucial factor.
He said: "I've scored a few goals this season and important ones. I've been trying to create goals.
"But improving the defensive side of things has helped me play more games.
"People know that I'm going to work hard to get back and track the full-backs and things.
"If that's what I've got to do to stay in the team, I'm prepared to do that."
Johnson is excited about the prospect of Champions League football and is hopeful City can make a big impression after pipping Arsenal for the final automatic spot.
He said: "It's been a great season for the club and me personally.
"The chance of Champions League football next season, and to lift the FA Cup at Wembley, was a dream come true for me.
"The Champions League is the best club competition in the world and hopefully we can go quite a long way.
"We've finished third in the Premier League and missed out on the qualifying stages which is brilliant for us and we go into the season knowing we are already in the group stages.
"Hopefully we can qualify from that group and goodness knows where we can go from there.
"The confidence has been there all season with City. We've played some good football."
Johnson wants Tevez to stay
Adam Johnson is hoping team-mate Carlos Tevez stays at Manchester City next season to lead the club in the UEFA Champions League.
Tevez's future at City is once again likely to be the subject of summer speculation after the Argentina international suggested he would look to leave.
City boss Roberto Mancini, however, is confident he can keep hold of his leading scorer after the club finished third in the Premier League and won the FA Cup last season.
Johnson, currently preparing for England's Euro 2012 qualifier with Switzerland on Saturday, knows how crucial Tevez is if City are to build on their success of the last campaign.
The winger said: "Carlos carries us sometimes with his goals and his drive. He is probably the best player I have played with.
"He would be hard to replace. There are probably only five or six strikers out there who get you that many goals a season at the highest level."
"Some of the goals, and some of the stuff he does in training, is just unbelievable.
"Personally I hope we keep hold of him just like all the City fans do.
"He will be a major part next season when we are playing in the Champions League.
"He would be hard to replace. There are probably only five or six strikers out there who get you that many goals a season at the highest level.
"We have one of them, so it would be great if we could keep him."
Johnson explained that Tevez has given little away as to what his future plans may be, even to his team-mates.
He said: "Carlos does not really say much. He is quite quiet. He keeps himself to himself mostly.
"He does his talking on the pitch. That's what I like about him."
Joe Hart: 'My two-year-old nephew sometimes scores against me'
Goalkeeper accepts some shots are unsaveable and this relaxed attitude has secured him England's No 1 shirt
He ended last season as Manchester City's No 2 goalkeeper and England's No 3 and now, 12 months on, Joe Hart is the first choice for club and country. In fact, he is considered so far ahead of the pack by his contemporaries that they are queuing up to quit international football.
That was the obvious place to start this week with Hart, now officially England's No 1 having started seven out of eight of England's internationals this season and a shoo-in to play in the Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland tomorrow. Throw in an FA Cup winners' medal and a place in the Champions League next season and it is hard to think of an England player who will depart for his holidays come Sunday a happier man.
In terms of English goalkeepers, Hart, just 24, is out there on his own. Fabio Capello and Roberto Mancini both reached the same conclusion in August that he was ready to step up to be No 1 and neither of them have been disappointed. There have been wobbles for City – most notably against Blackburn Rovers in September and Leicester City in the FA Cup in January – but generally Hart's form has been excellent.
So much so that his deputy with England, Ben Foster, has taken indefinite leave from international duty and Robert Green has had to be talked out of retiring from England duty. "I don't think it was anything to do with me if I am totally honest; I think they have all got their personal reasons for making the decision," Hart said this week, but his fellow pros recognise that the man from Shrewsbury is the future.
It will take a certain kind of individual to hold down a place as England's No 1 for more than a decade. Since David Seaman, who held the role for 11 years until October 2002, it has gone from David James, to Paul Robinson, back to James and finally to Hart with brief diversions along the way, including Green and Scott Carson. Job security has not been good.
Hart is a markedly different character from all of his predecessors apart from, perhaps, Green who, like him, demonstrates the same philosophical approach to the ups and downs of the job (leaving aside Green's "screw you" gesture directed at the Upton Park press box in September). Hart is a bit more laid-back, opening up this week about his season, from the admission that he wanted Manchester United to win the Champions League final to how his two-year-old nephew can put the occasional goal past him in the park.
The latter came up when he remembered the screamer Xherdan Shaqiri hit past him for Switzerland in Basle in September. The moral of the story being: there are some things a goalkeeper can do nothing about. "I was talking to Rob Green about it," Hart said. "I could be down the park playing with my nephew who isn't even three years old. If he kicks it in the corner, I can't save it. It's as simple as that.
"It doesn't matter who you're playing and what you're doing. You can be humbled as a goalkeeper. Obviously you do everything you can to prevent it, but you have to accept that anyone at any point can score past you.
"I keep my perspective from training every day with world-class players. You can have the best game of your life and there's literally some stuff you can't get to or you can't do. I would like to think at the same time they might take a shot that they should score and we save it. It works both ways.
"Nothing is given, there is a lot of pressure but there is a lot of pressure in everything that you do, whether it is at home looking after the family or whether it is playing in goal for England. I think you have to accept that sometimes it is going to happen, but the whole point is that you can't live in fear of preventing mistakes, you just have to try to enjoy yourself and do the best thing you can and try and move England forward."
As for United against Barcelona, was he really supporting City's neighbours on Saturday night? He weighs his words carefully. "I genuinely do support all English teams. Barça were just on another level, weren't they? I wanted an English team to win the Champions League."
Hart came into the professional game at his hometown club Shrewsbury Town and he talks with great fondness of the opportunity they gave him before he moved on to City at 19. He does not agree that there is a dearth of English goalkeepers, just that life is hard when you are not playing. He has won his battle with Shay Given but there are plenty of other goalkeepers who cannot get past their club's first choice.
"There's one spot to play in a team, unfortunately, and in the Premier League we attract worldwide players," Hart said. "It's hard to get that No 1 spot, really, really hard. It's difficult, I think we've got some great keepers, some good ones in the Championship and the Premier League. People tend to look at it negatively but you don't need 25 goalkeepers; you only need five or six good ones."
In his own difficult times last season Hart admits only to having had "a little think about what was going on" although he is yet to use a sports psychologist – not that he is of the old school who might regard that as a weakness: "I wouldn't rule anything out in the future." He describes Mancini as a "demanding manager" but he has not clashed with him because, as Hart puts it, he does what he is told.
Given his own undoubted ability and – not to put too fine a point on it – the absence of much current competition, Hart has the potential to be the goalkeeper of his generation, a 100-plus caps man. Judging from the way he talks he is smart enough to grasp the opportunity but, as he himself would admit, when it comes to being England goalkeeper some good fortune is required too.
HART FACTFILE BOLLOX
England’s No 1
With England’s World Cup failure fresh in the memory, Hart was elevated to first choice by Capello and nailed down the position by impressing in a 2-1 win over Hungary at Wembley on the eve of the new season.
World Cup call-up
Hart beat Ben Foster to the third goalkeeper slot in Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad. Did not play in South Africa after Capello resisted the urge to select him ahead of David James and Robert Green.
Champions League
City go into the game at Eastlands with Tottenham needing to avoid defeat to secure a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League. Hart makes some crucial early saves to deny Spurs before Manchester City win 1-0.
FA Cup glory
Plays a key role for City as Mancini’s team end the club’s 35-year trophy drought by beating Stoke to win the FA Cup at Wembley. Keeps his 27th clean sheet of the season in a 1-0 win.
Golden glove
Hart edges out Chelsea’s Petr Cech to win the Premier League’s Golden Glove award. A total of 18 clean sheets in the league secures the award, with Cech his closest rival with 15 shut-outs.
Man City record
Ends the season with 29 clean sheets in all competitions for City. His consistent brilliance sees him break the club record of 26, set by Nicky Weaver in League One in 1998-99.
Hart's 2010-11 Premier League season
Clean sheets
1. Joe Hart 18
2. Petr Cech 15
=3. Jose Reina
Edwin van der Sar 14
Minutes per goal conceded
=1. Joe Hart 103.64
Petr Cech 103.64
3. Edwin van der Sar 92.41
Save percentage
1. Joe Hart 76.43
2. Ben Foster 75.45
3. Petr Cech 74.81
As previously reported bollox (some papers really need to keep up)
REAL MADRID have told Manchester City they will not pay £12.5million for Emmanuel Adebayor.
Boss Jose Mourinho is keen but Real will only offer £8m for the striker, who hit five goals in Spain. AC Milan are also in the hunt. Sun
Manchester City are set to abandon their attempt to sign Udinese's Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez. City had made a £21m offer but Udinese want nearly £30m and Sanchez wants to stay in Italy. Mail
City will turn to striker Edinson Cavani, midfielder Marek Hamsik and forward Ezequiel Lavezzi, who all play for Napoli, after missing out on Sanchez. Metro
POZNAN BOLLOX
One day bus passes have nothing on the Poznan travel card, in fact they even name it after the club that taught them their famous football celebration back in the 80's and comes with extra loyalty points ...
Poznań City Card
Explore Poznań with the Poznań City Card! This is the best and least expensive way to get to know our city and the adjacent area. Gain free or discounted admission to over sixty tourist attractions, free access to public transportation and a unique opportunity to save time and money.
The Poznań City Card comes in three versions: one-, two- and three-day.
Holders of the Poznań City Card are entitled, among other things, to:
- free use of public transportation,
- free admission to most of Poznań's museums,
- discounted admission to sports and recreational facilities,
- discounted admission to the Conservatory and the Zoo,
- discounts at hotels and restaurants.
Terms and conditions of use of the Poznań City Card
The Card is valid for holder only (as signed on front). The Card is valid only after first and last name and date of first use have been filled in. The Card may not be used by third parties and it is valid together with an ID. The period of validity begins to run on the date stated on the Card. In case of using the Card outside of Poznań, the Card is valid one day past the date shown on it.
When used as pass on public transportation, the Card is valid until 12:00 midnight on the last day on which the Card is valid (1, 2 or 3 days).
The Card comes with a guide booklet, which includes information on available attractions, discounts and free admission. You can only use a given attraction once; upon entry to the attraction, you should produce your Card and submit a proper coupon provided on the page that describes a specific attraction. The coupons are not valid if the Card has been lost or stolen.
The Poznań City Card comes in three versions:
- one - day - at 30 PLN
- two - day - at 40 PLN
- three - day - at 45 PLN
OTHER BOLLOX
Arsenal have told Spanish giants Real Madrid the bidding for their captain Cesc Fabregas starts at £54m. the Sun
Liverpool want to bolster their midfield and are weighing up Sunderland pair Jordan Henderson and Lee Cattermole. Daily Telegraph
The Black Cats are holding out for £20m for 20-year-old England midfielder Henderson. Daily Star
Not only do the Reds want Henderson but they are also ready to make a formal offer to Blackburn for their £15m-rated 19-year-old centre-back Phil Jones. Daily Mail
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is in turn targeting a £12m double raid on his former club Manchester United, with defender Wes Brown, 31, and midfielder Darron Gibson, 23 in his sights. Daily Star
Brown is also wanted by Bolton manager Owen Coyle, who sees him as a replacement for Arsenal target Gary Cahill. the Sun
The Trotters are keen to have striker Daniel Sturridge back at the Reebok Stadium next season after a stunning spell on loan from Chelsea. the Sun
Tottenham have had a bid of £10.5m for Internacional's Brazilian striker Leandro Damiao, 21, rejected. Daily Mail
But Spurs have intensified their chase for the one-cap striker, with an increased bid of £13.2m. Arsenal are also thought to be keen. the Times
Want-away Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero says he would rather stay in Spain, paving the way for a move to Real Madrid rather than Manchester City or Chelsea. the Sun
Former England international Mark Chamberlain has pleaded with Arsenal to buy his son Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Southampton. Daily Mail
Everton and Tottenham are interested in veteran German striker Miroslav Klose, who is a free agent after his Bayern Munich contract expired. Daily Mirror
Spurs midfielder Wilson Palacios could see his move to Italian side Napoli fall through after the clubs failed to agree a fee. Tottenham want £12m for the 26-year-old. the Sun
Wigan have made an increased £3m offer to Bolton for goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi, who impressed on loan at the DW Stadium last season. Daily Mirror
QPR are prepared to double the wages of Wales striker Steve Morison to lure him away from Millwall. Daily Mail
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba could reject interest from AC Milan to make a shock move to Tottenham. talkSHITE
QPR are set to seal a deal for Hull midfielder Jimmy Bullard, handing the 32-year-old a return to the Premier League. Daily Mirror
Swansea have had a £3m bid for Watford striker Danny Graham turned down by the Championship club. QPR and West Brom are already considering increasing their offers for the 25-year-old.(the Sun)
Veteran striker Kevin Phillips, 37, is set to return to the Championship with Watford after being released by relegated Birmingham. the Sun
Liverpool have set their sights on Birmingham midfielder Sebastian Larsson, 25, who is a free agent because his contract expires this month. CaughtOffside
Arsenal are thought to be interested in Marseille's 26-year-old talented playmaker Mathieu Valbuena - potentially as a replacement for Andrey Arshavin, who has been linked to a transfer from the Emirates. CaughtOffside
The surprise resignation of Mark Hughes as Fulham manager on Thursday has paved the way for former Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill to be appointed at Craven Cottage. Daily Star
However, Hughes will not become the new manager of Aston Villa becauses the Midlands club are looking to appoint someone else. the Sun
Villa ditched plans to get Hughes after being disturbed by the manner of his exit from Fulham and the activities of his agent Kia Joorabchian over the last 24 hours. Daily Mirror
Former Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has hinted at a return to Stamford Bridge, refusing to commit his future to the Turkey national team. Daily Telegraph
Meanwhile, PSV Eindhoven say Hiddink has turned down the chance to be technical director at the Dutch club. Goal
England face a striker crisis ahead of their Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland on Saturday, with only Darren Bent fit. Peter Crouch and Bobby Zamora are both struggling with injuries. the Sun
The Professional Footballers' Association is to issue a handbook to all players in the top four divisions to help them deal with mental health issues. the Guardian
Manchester United have opened contract talks with Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia, 25, but they have hit a snag over image rights. Daily Mail
Barcelona's Argentine playmaker Lionel Messi was unharmed when a youngster wearing a hooded top threw a punch at him as he was leaving a restaurant in his home city of Rosario on Thursday. Eurosport
Manchester United striker Michael Owen sparked a row with Newcastle after he is thought to have dismissed them as a "poor team" on the social networking site Twitter. Daily Express
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie hit out at Chelsea and Barcelona during an interview on Dutch television. Daily Mirror
BOLLOX FOLLOW-UP
Earlier this week bollox towers revealed the sale of a certain Mr Mercer's treasures ... today the highest bids recieved were ...
.... The black and red striped shirt, worn by Mike Doyle when he starred for Manchester City in the 1970 Football League Cup final, has been sold for £3,240 at auction.
Before the auction, at Bonhams in Chester, the long-sleeved number four shirt,featuring the City badge and the words ‘League Cup final 1970’ had been expected to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000.It was snapped up by a mystery bidder.
The shirt turned out to be the most valuable item in a collection of football memorabilia once owned by the late Manchester City manager Joe Mercer and sold at the auction for £16,032 by Mr Mercer’s family.
A spare black and red striped Manchester City shirt from the 1969 FA Cup final sold for £960
