Hart: Given is wrong... I was ready to play in World Cup

Joe Hart has hit back at Shay Given’s claim that he wasn’t ready to play in the World Cup – and has warned his Manchester City rival that he is desperate to take his jersey.

Having spent his time in South Africa kicking his heels on the bench, Hart is even more determined to nail down the No. 1 jersey for both club and country. The City keeper hopes to get the nod from Fabio Capello against Hungary on August 11 - and then wants to dislodge Given for City’s opening game of the season at Spurs three days later.

The Eastlands club loaned him out to Birmingham last season - but Roberto Mancini now wants Hart to battle it out with Given.

Their head-to-head fight was given an added edge when the Irish stopper backed Capello’s decision to play both Robert Green and David James ahead of Hart. Given, 34, said: “I think it would have been a bit too early for him.

“If he had made the mistake that Rob Green had made then perhaps the whole world would have been on top of him.

“Personally, I think Fabio Capello made the right decision but Joe will disagree with that.”

Given was right. Hart, 23, blasted: “I can’t think like that. It doesn’t interest me one bit. I don’t need to be mollycoddled. I’m a big boy now.

“I’ve been in situations before where it could have all gone wrong and it could have got blown up - but it hasn’t.

“I know it could do one day but I can take it. I’m not interested in what I’m doing in three or four weeks time.

“Or in 15 years time. It doesn’t interest me one little bit. I live in the now.

“I went to South Africa the same as all 23 players, wanting to play.

“Obviously I wanted to play in every game and to put my stamp on it. It hurts when you don’t - but it has just made me hungrier.”

Hart was one of the top flight’s unsung heroes last season, with his successful loan spell at Birmingham helping the Midlanders to secure a top-10 place.

With Mancini rejecting Arsenal’s bid for him last month, it seems likely he will start next season as the club’s No. 1 – in order to stop him from going out on loan again or requesting a ­transfer.

“All I have ever wanted to do is play games,” he said. “I wasn’t getting a chance at City and Birmingham gave me a chance.

“I’ve just turned up at City trying to do the best I can. I just want to play. If that’s not the case I’ll have to reconsider what’s going on. At the moment I’m just really concentrated on getting that number one spot.”

He was so frustrated about his inaction in South Africa that he cut short his summer holiday in Spain to return to training, taking less than three weeks off following the World Cup exit.

He explained: “I love football. I was sitting by the pool on holiday and I wanted to play football with anyone who I had eye contact with.

“That’s just who I am. A part of me even wanted to come back a bit earlier.

“But I had to recharge the batteries and now I feel fresh. I wanted to become part of what was going on. I was playing football around the pool with anyone going. I tried to get my girlfriend involved.

“She showed a tiny bit of patience, bless her, but she wanted to sunbathe.

“I really didn’t know anything (about the Arsenal bid). City made it really clear I wasn’t for sale.

“All I want to do is play - whether it’s for England, or it’s by the pool, or it’s for Man City.”

Manchester City have jointly funded,alongside the embassy of the UAE, the laying of a synthetic surface on the rooftop of the inner-city

Lexington Academy in Manhattan. This agreement is the first of a series of community initiatives to be announced during the club’s US tour and beyond.