I went to West Ham - and look where that got me!
- by Staff Writer
- Saturday, 21st July 2018
Joe Hart believes that his year spent at West Ham was in vain - because he failed to go to the World Cup with England.
Hart, who joined the Hammers on a season-long loan ahead of the 2017/18 campaign was not included in Gareth Southgate's final squad for Russia 2018, having recorded a season at Stratford in which his form was erratic, at best.And as a result of his subsequent and not-entirely-unexpected omission from the national squad the 31-year-old, who is certain his future lies away from Manchester City, insists that his next move must be a permanent one.
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"I’m professional and I get on with things," Hart told the assembled media following Manchester City's 1-0 friendly defeat to Dortmund - a rare outing in a City shirt for the former England number one.
"My job is to play football. I’ve got other people trying to sort other things out for me in terms of a direction. I’m supposed to be here [with Manchester City] so this is where I put all my energy and time.
"I need to go somewhere permanent, I think that’s obvious. I did what I did in the previous two seasons because I needed to play to be involved in the World Cup - and look where that got me.
"I’ve played at the highest level for a long time and done a lot of things in the game. I need to be an important player at that club and I think that can only happen with a permanent move.
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"I enjoyed being at both clubs [on loan] for different reasons. It’s an experience. I’m always going to be a fighter. I put myself out there, I put myself in front of people. I try and do my best."
"That’s never going to change. I’ve got a year left and I’m not going on loan again because my situation has changed. I need to feel part of something."
Hart represented West Ham on 24 occasions during his season-long stay in east London, keeping just three clean sheets in the process.
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