Stuart Pearce Urges Under-Fire Joe Hart to 'Get Nastier' in Order to Banish Nerves

Stuart Pearce has claimed Joe Hart is suffering from a bout of nerves at the moment, and has urged him to 'get nastier' in order to get back to his old self.

The former Nottingham Forest captain has watched on this season as the West Ham stopper has shipped goal after goal, and people are beginning to tout Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford and Fraser Forster to replace him as England number one.

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Speaking on Sky Sports' The Debate, as quoted by HITC, Pearce said: "He’s under a bit of pressure, but he’s got to rise to that challenge. It surprises me that, at the age he’s at, he’s got 70-odd caps.

"He should be the stand-alone goalkeeper, like how we look at Buffon playing for Italy; you think there’s no challengers, you’re there, you’ve got everything, you’re composed. I just see with Joe…a bit of nervousness.

"I spoke with Joe a while back and I said to him at the European Championships last summer, the ball went in the back of the net against Iceland, and he didn’t get up and berate his back line. I think Joe probably needs a bit of nastiness in his game."

England manager Gareth Southgate has a decision to make with regards to who he chooses between the sticks against Slovenia on Thursday - Hart's poor form with West Ham may finally see someone else given a chance after his reign as number one for the past seven years.