When the smoke clears, England have clear sight of their goal

PLAYING for England can seem a serious business, especially at this stage of a qualifying campaign when the nation is desperate to see a safe passage to a major finals secured.

The pressure is on with those charged with the Three Lions’ footballing fortunes being scrutinised like never before, whether that be over a perceived loss of form or lifestyle decisions away from the pitch.

Both Joe Hart and Jack Wilshere have learned this the hard way in the past week with a series of high profile blunders by the former leading to questions over his England future and the latter incurring the wrath of many by being caught smoking outside a bar.

It has not been an easy few days for either man. That, though, has not prevented Hart and Wilshere coming in for some good-natured stick from their international team-mates ahead of the all-important World Cup qualifying double-header against Montenegro and Poland. And neither would have it any other way.

Speaking yesterday at 
St George’s Park, Wilshere, after revealing he had apologised to club manager Arsene Wenger for smoking, said: “The banter has been non-stop and I’m surprised none of you (in the media) have done it.

“After the game on Sunday, the phsyio Colin Lewin said, ‘You smoked that shot.’ Then, when I have been getting angry in training this week, they have been saying, ‘Calm down, have a fag’.

“We move on, eventually, but everyone is going to make a joke of it and that’s fine.”

Like Wilshere, Hart, too, has been the butt of jokes this week in training following his below-par display in Manchester City’s Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.

Phil Jagielka, the Everton defender who is again likely to partner Gary Cahill on Friday night at Wembley, revealed: “Joe wouldn’t want us to be tip-toeing around him.

“He is someone who loves the banter more than anyone. It is the same with me. If I’d made a mistake the first person I’d be looking for is Joe to be straight on it.

“We all make mistakes. We are all human. He’s had some banter, mainly us throwing it in there.

“I was losing 10-9 at table tennis and when waiting for the next point, you just say ‘Bayern Munich’ or something.

“That is just the kind of thing you do. And obviously he comes back to me as they (Manchester City) beat us (Everton) 3-1 at the weekend, so I didn’t have a leg to stand on.

“Joe’s a great guy and a fantastic goalkeeper and if he can take it like he has done, all the power to him.”

As enjoyable as the banter has been in the England camp this week, the squad recognises that qualifying for a World Cup is a 
serious business.

Wilshere said: “We have to remember what we are. We are English. We tackle hard, we are tough on the pitch and we are hard to beat.

“We have great characters. You think of Spain and you think technical.

“But, if you think of England, you think they are brave and they tackle hard. We have to remember that.”

Six points from the forthcoming double-header will guarantee England a place in Brazil next year.

Wilshere added: “We wanted it to be in our own hands and it is.

“There is a lot of pressure on us but we are looking forward to it.

“There is no better feeling, running out at Wembley with the England shirt on.

“If at the end of it we can get to a World Cup, it would be amazing

“We know it is not going to be easy, we know from the past Montenegro is a tough game.

“They have got good players, they like to sit behind the ball and stop us playing.

“We have got to find a way to break them down. If we win the first game it will be a great atmosphere going into the second game. That is the plan.”