Joe Hart: This is how I've adapted my game since the summer

JOE HART says he will be keeping calm against Spain tonight - literally.

By David Woods, Chief Football Writer

Joe Hart has opened up about his career

For the England star confessed yesterday he had been guilty of getting far too pumped up in the past playing for his country.

Hart’s mental state was called into question at Euro 2016 when some of his pre-match tunnel rants in France were captured on camera.

Hart’s histrionics did not help him on the pitch, with the keeper being at fault for crucial goals against Russia, Wales and, most critically, Iceland’s winner as they dumped England out in embarrassing fashion.

One of interim boss Gareth Southgate’s first jobs in charge was to take Hart aside and tell him to cool it.

Coinciding with a loan move to Torino - after Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola bombed him out - the 29-year-old now seems to have succeeded in slowing down his ‘Hart beat’.

Joe Hart has been rebuilding his career at Torino

Joe Hart says he's spoken to Gareth Southgate about his form

“I’m always trying to learn and adapt,” said Hart, who put in a superb display for England in the goalless draw in Slovenia last month and is yet to concede a goal in four World Cup qualifying games this season.

“Obviously the Euros weren’t my finest hour.

“I needed to have a think and pick apart how I played and what I did, and maybe change a few things after speaking to the people who count.

“Gareth and I spoke about it. I’ve got a lot of energy, a lot of passion. Questionably it could have been too much.

“There’s nothing wrong with being positive - and being passionate and proud of your country is definitely a positive.

“But there’s different way of channeling it. I’ve looked into that, and hopefully it will help.

“I’m constantly changing and evolving, trying to be the best I can be. Learning from things that didn’t go too well is definitely a way of doing that.

“I’ve got a core of people around me. Everyone does it as you get older. You’ve got people you trust, people you listen to. I’m really grateful to the people that I’ve got.

“I’ve always said I might be wrong or I might be right to trust in these people, but I do.”

VAUXHALLWith Guardiola letting the England No.1 know he wasn’t in his plans, due to a supposed inability to play the sweeper-keeper role to his liking, Hart took the bold option of moving to Turin.

He has embraced life in Italy, and helped Torino to seventh in Serie A.

In turn, the club’s fans have taken to Hart - as was shown on Friday in the 3-0 win over Scotland when some even turned up at Wenbley to support him.

“That was a nice touch,” he said. “They came down behind the goal and saw me. I wasn’t looking for it, and I was really focused but then started to hear them.

“It was a nice feeling. It’s a special effort. I applaud anyone who comes to a football game, given the finances – it’s not an easy thing to do.

“Especially to travel across and it’s not even to see your own country.”

He’s also trying to learn the lingo adding: “I’ve got a teacher. It doesn’t come naturally to me, but it’s something I’m trying to do.

“First and foremost, though, I want to be playing football and doing well on the football field because, ultimately, that does the talking for you.

“Ideally I wanted to stay where I was, but that wasn’t a possibility, so I wanted to go abroad and try something new.

“I look around and see in all our top teams in England, they’ve got players from everywhere, from absolutely all over. Look in any league, there’s players from all over.

“So I thought ‘why not me, why can’t I be that guy in the dressing room?’ and I’ve enjoyed it. I’m two months in, the honeymoon period if you like.

“Maybe it will be easier to reflect and give advice after a full season. But if anyone wanted to talk to me about it, I wouldn’t give any negative feedback.”

dailystar.co.uk