“It’s good to get the nod to be involved, but I won’t take anything for granted,” Joe told thefa.com.
“I know for a fact that come the next squad, I’m not definitely in it so I’ve got to keep working hard and if I do get a chance to show what I can do, hopefully I’ll take it.”
So despite the usual modesty what would it mean to be involved at Wembley tomorrow for Joe? “It would mean everything, I think you could ask anyone in the country and they would feel the way I do, and the way David James does.
“Everyone just wants to be involved and play for their country, so if I get the opportunity I’ll be the happiest man around.
“It’s great coming from Shrewsbury and looking back on how far I’ve come, but also how far there is still to go.
“I didn’t think I’d be involved in it full stop two years ago.
“If you had asked me two weeks ago when I didn’t know about the squad, I still would have told you I didn’t think I’d be involved.
“I don’t know if there is ever an appropriate time, but obviously the whole point in me playing football is to get in a set up like this. That’s what I’ve worked for all season and all my life to be involved in.”
After the season Hart has had it’s just reward for the 21-year-old to be involved in a set up that includes his Under 21 and former City manager Stuart Pearce.
He concluded: “It’s a nice little link to have with the first team, with the lads coming through that I’ve spent quite a lot of time with and obviously Stuart who is the Under 21s boss and he also brought me to Manchester City. I’ve got that connection with him so it’s helped a lot.
“It’s been really good, and obviously it’s quite exciting for myself.”
