Sam Allardyce will keep Joe Hart as his No1 but only if the Manchester City keeper can calm down
Hot-head Hart was fired up for Euro 2016 but made costly errors which Big Sam wants to eradicate
NEW England boss Sam Allardyce will have a message for Joe Hart at his first squad get-together in a month’s time: ‘Calm down’.
Allardyce begins his reign as Roy Hodgson’s successor with a press conference at St George’s Park this morning.
But he will already be thinking hard about his approach for the opening World Cup qualifier in Slovakia on September 4.
Allardyce has been alarmed, as have many pundits, at Hart’s manic behaviour before England matches.
The Manchester City No 1, 29, pumps himself up in the tunnel screaming and shouting and then goes into an excitable routine with supporters behind the goal before kick-off.
It was noticeable at the World Cup in Brazil and at Euro 2016.
He can also be heard barking out random messages to team-mates during games and smacking his head after conceding a goal. Big Sam, of course, is not averse to going a bit manic himself on the touchline, but he wants Hart to channel his energies in a more focused direction
While Allardyce wants players who are not afraid to take the lead, he worries Hart loses that focus when his behaviour goes over the top.
Hart made crucial errors against Wales and Iceland as England were eliminated at the last-16 stage of Euro 2016.
The City man’s place is under scrutiny with Jack Butland returning from injury and Fraser Forster knocking on the door.
Hart, however, is still expected to start in England’s friendly against Croatia at Wembley on September 1 and play in Slovakia three days later.
Allardyce is not planning any radical changes to begin with, but he will be ruthless if players do not deliver the goods.
He said: “First and foremost it is about regaining a little bit of confidence they may have lost.
“What we did in the past will just need tinkering here and there with the ideas I want rather than what happened before.”
Bizarrely, Allardyce will be able to look out of the window at St George’s this afternoon and watch the superstars of Barcelona training because they are basing themselves at the Burton Centre for a week as part of their pre-season preparations.
England, of course, are a long way removed from Barcelona.
But Gary Neville, the failed coach of the Hodgson regime, reckons Big Sam has a hugely talented group of players at his disposal who only need to learn to be more clinical.
Neville said: “I’d like to wish Sam Allardyce all the best. He will get a good group of professionals.
“I’ve seen unhappiness in previous England squads. The current lads are happy — they just need to be more ruthless, to overcome those moments which crop up in tournaments.
“They have to start going England’s way, those moments which kill you in football matches.
“People look for one big reason why England keep failing.
“I’ve been an England player or coach in eight tournaments and the fall-out from this one is no different, but that group of players will achieve.
“Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Adam Lallana, John Stones, Ross Barkley, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling — Jack Wilshere, Chris Smalling, Danny Rose, Kyle Walker, Danny Welbeck.
“I believe they will do well without ripping up the DNA and starting again.
Big Sam's 'in' tray
SORT OUT THE DEFENCE
Big Sam loves a clean sheet and he has work to do to repair a leaky backline which only kept out Slovakia in four Euro 2016 games.
BUILD CONFIDENCE
He needs to make sure the players put the dismal Euros to bed quickly. But he will want them to use the flop in France as a motivation for the World Cup campaign.
TALKS WITH ROONEY
The new manager will have a good chat with skipper Wayne Rooney and must work out where to play him.
STAFF MEETINGS
Allardyce wants think-tanks with staff who have international experience, such as his assistant Sammy Lee, who worked under Sven-Goran Eriksson.
SCOUTING SET-UP
Who will go where on the opening weekend of the Premier League season? Which game will Big Sam attend and will he travel to unfashionable clubs?
WATCH THE SLOVAKIA TAPE...AND POSSIBLY ICELAND
England’s first World Cup qualifier is in Slovakia on September 4 and the boss must look at their draw in France, which cost the Three Lions top spot, and work out a way to break them down.
PRAY FOR GOOD WEATHER AGAINST CROATIA
Allardyce will hope he can keep the brolly at home and avoid being a wally against the Croatians in his Wembley opener — unlike former England boss Steve McClaren.
“I’ll never lose hope they’ll get it right, that our time will come, even though I won’t be involved. There’s no magic wand, just as there hasn’t been for 50 years.”
Neville still appears shell-shocked by England’s shambolic Euro 2016 elimination and was unable to explain it.
Speaking in an interview with the Sunday Times, he added: “I had complete belief in what we were doing until the last 60 minutes against Iceland.
“I never saw that coming. I just don’t know what happened in that last hour.
“I’d not seen us play like that in the previous two years. There wasn’t one game I could compare it to.
“We played well but conceded late against Russia.
“We went behind against Wales but carried on trying and got there. The goal didn’t come against Slovakia, but we dominated the three group games.
“I thought we’d get an equaliser against Iceland — I was absolutely convinced of it. But there wasn’t an improvement and we, the coaches, accepted responsibility.