Joe Hart hits back at Roy Keane calling him 'cocky' and 'arrogant'

Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart has urged that he won't be taking any lessons from Roy Keane as he steps into punditry, after the former Manchester United captain labelled him 'cocky' and 'arrogant'.

Hart, 38, called time on his playing career last year and has since leapt into punditry, regularly appearing on the BBC's flagship football show Match of the Day.

During his 12-year stint at Manchester City between 2006 and 2018, Hart helped guide the club to their first two Premier League titles under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, before spending his final two years at the Etihad on loan with Torino and West Ham.

Hart's mistake for England in a 2012 World Cup qualifier against Poland, which ended 1-1, sparked Keane's claim that the then-established Manchester City No 1 had become 'cocky' and was 'relaxing too much' between the sticks.

Later that year, the no-nonsense pundit went on to brand Hart 'arrogant' and suggested he deserved to be dropped from the first team altogether.

Now eager to enter punditry full-time, Hart is determined to stick to the facts and not let his opinion of an individual cloud his judgement, having been heavily affected by Keane's comments over a decade ago.

'I was really happy with how I behaved on the pitch,' Hart told former team-mate Joleon Lescott on the In the Mixer podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.

'I loved the relationships that I had with my teammates, and I loved the relationship I had with opponents – I never wanted to cross the line with anyone.

'I loved playing football, so how on earth can that come across cocky? I don't know. I adored the game. That was probably the first bit of negative press I got. I'd been very much riding a wave.'

Criticising Keane's punditry style, Hart added: 'He's made it very clear that he just says things. I've actually worked with him once.

'I was willing to work out what he was as a person. Was this something that he harboured deep inside him? He just says stuff. I doubt he wouldn't have been able to recall that moment.

'He don't care. But I take huge responsibility in my new role. Huge responsibility. I know the impact of my words.

'I know the impact, especially now social media, I know how that can bring needless attention to someone who's minding their own business and going about.'