Hart: We’ll let referee decide if we walk off

Goalkeeper Hart confirmed he and his team-mates were aware they could not walk off the field in protest unless the referee stopped the game at this summer’s tournament.

UEFA president Michel Platini warned on Wednesday that any player that did so would be yellow carded and Hart was happy to take his lead from the match officials in Poland and Ukraine.

Hart’s Manchester City team-mate Mario Balotelli recently claimed he would walk off if he suffered racist abuse during Italy’s Euro 2012 campaign and threatened to “kill” anyone who threw a banana at him.

But Hart said: “We can’t take the rules into our own hands.

“And, if the referee feels right for us to walk off then we’ll follow him.”

He added: “Our advice is just to get on with it and see how the referee and UEFA deal with it.

“Hopefully, the referee or UEFA will take it into their own hands – if that problem does occur.

“Fingers crossed, we won’t have to deal with anything like that,” he said.

England already have enough on their plate, amid an injury crisis and a backlash against new manager Roy Hodgson’s selection decisions, something that can be traced back to the John Terry-Anton Ferdinand affair.

It has all added up to the ‘low expectations’ many have about the national team’s chances this summer. Hart insisted the players were not among them.

He said: “We don’t want to come here thinking people won’t mind if we lose.

“We have high expectations. Otherwise, there is no point in being here. We have come to win.”

Hart could well be a busy man this summer if the doommongers are to be believed.

But the 25-year-old, who will make his finals bow in Monday’s Group D opener against France, proved during City’s Barclays Premier League title triumph that he thrives under that sort of pressure.

“They’re the situations that I love,” he said. “To be the No 1 for England coming into a Euro finals is something I never even considered doing.

“With Man City, when we were chasing the League, it wasn’t a dream to win it because it was something I had never even thought about. It is just amazing that I am in these situations.

“I don’t think you can hide – you just have to go and enjoy them.”

Hart also insisted he “couldn’t be happier” with the defence he would play behind, despite the Rio Ferdinand controversy and loss of Gary Cahill to injury.

The goalkeeper hinted Joleon Lescott might get the nod alongside Terry against France, shrugging off concerns the latter might struggle to adapt to playing on the right of the partnership.

“I’m sure he’s played on that right-hand side before and done brilliantly,” Hart said.

“It’s got to the stage where he’s able to pick and choose where he wants to play, so Joleon will fit in nicely on the left-hand side with JT.”

Much has been made of the differences between the approach of Hodgson and that of previous manager Fabio Capello.

Hart is part of a players’ committee which will represent the squad in meetings with Hodgson.

“He’s been quite open in saying that he’d like to hear feedback from us,” Hart said.

“I don’t think it’s feedback where we’re going to dictate what he does.

“But it’s just nice that you know that he likes to listen to what the boys are feeling and where they want to go with things.”

Stewart Downing yesterday insisted feedback offered by the players did not include any about the backlash against Manchester United defender’ Rio Ferdinand’s snub.

Ferdinand’s brother Anton broke his silence on the matter before French coach Laurent Blanc became the latest leading figure in the game to suggest Ferdinand was not left at home for “football reasons” ahead of Les Bleus’ meeting with England on Monday.

There have been reports of divisions within the squad over the matter. But Liverpool winger Downing claimed it was not even a topic of conversation at the team’s Krakow base. “Certainly not,” he said. “Whoever the manager picks, we just get on with it. I just concentrate on my own game and why I am here. It has obviously been built up but players just get on with it.”

Insisting the saga had not had a negative impact on the squad, he added: “The manager has just told us to concentrate on playing in the games and the players who are here.”

Hodgson has denied Ferdinand’s exclusion had anything to do with the possibility of disharmony between the United centre-back and John Terry.

Terry faces a court case on July 9 after being charged with racially abusing Anton Ferdinand during a match between Chelsea and QPR last October. Chelsea captain Terry denies the charge.

Several high-profile former players have contended this was precisely the reason Ferdinand was ignored, and France boss Blanc joined them yesterday.

He said: “I know Rio Ferdinand. I think, from afar, that the choice to not take him isn’t a sporting choice. Rio Ferdinand is a very good player but (his exclusion) has been surprising with all the injuries in that department.”

Anton Ferdinand earlier refused to join the condemnation of his brother’s omission.

Rio Ferdinand’s adviser, Jamie Moralee, this week branded the decision to call up Martin Kelly as a replacement for the injured Gary Cahill on Sunday “disrespectful”, and the player was equally unhappy.

However, the United man vowed to support England in the tournament and his brother has backed up those sentiments.

“Things happen in football,” he said. “It’s a game of ups and downs. I am sure he’d like to be there but sadly it didn’t happen this time.”