With six wins in their last nine games, Joe Hart’s Torino are gently plodding along in Serie A, currently sixth in the table, and the Manchester City loanee remains an important player for them.
Loaned out by the Premier League club after Pep Guardiola made it clear the England number one would not be a part of his plans at the Etihad, Hart’s decision to move to Italy has been one received positively around Europe.
With few English players willing to try and experience abroad, the former Shrewsbury starlet’s decision to give Italy a go might have been surprising at first, but David James, speaking at a WyScout convention in London, explained he was actually a bit jealous.
Relayed by Calciomercato, he said: “Serie A has a good reputation, and playing in a team less in the spotlight like Torino is helping him compared to the attention he had in Manchester. It’s an opportunity that I would have liked to have at his age.”
In comparison to Joe Hart, who at 29 is enjoying life in southern Europe, James, at the same age back in 1999, had just transferred from Liverpool to Aston Villa for just over £2m, where he stayed for two years before moving to West Ham.
However, the now retired goalkeeper wasn’t exactly the England regular Hart is despite making his debut for England in 1997, having to wait until 2000 to get his second cap.
He picked up another 51 after that.
