Bailey Peacock-Farrell: Ex-Burnley team-mate Hart lauds NI keeper's 'mentality'

Former Burnley keeper Joe Hart says Bailey Peacock-Farrell's response to being third-choice at the club showed the Northern Ireland keeper has the "mentality" as well as "raw talent".

Hart was in a three-way battle for the club jersey and Peacock-Farrell, 24, and another England keeper Nick Pope.

But Hart "liked Bailey's attitude" so much that he began to adopt a mentoring role to his young rival.

"I really enjoyed forming a relationship with him," said Hart, 33.

"Showing him what I see is required of a top keeper. The focus, the mentality, the gym work and he really bought into it.

"He used his time instead of being a third-choice who was waiting for things to happen. He was making things happen," added 75-times capped Hart, whose Burnley stint ended in the summer when he signed a two-year deal with Tottenham.

'Straight away I saw raw talent'

Speaking ahead of Peacock-Farrell's expected start for Northern Ireland in Thursdays Euro 2020 play-off final against Slovakia in Belfast, Hart said that he was aware of the young keeper when he made what some people felt was a surprising move to Burnley from Leeds 15 months ago.

"He was doing well at Leeds and all younger keepers I have my eyes out for. He was making a bit of noise as well.

"I was keen to see what he was like as a keeper and straight away saw raw talent. A talented keeper who wanted to do well.

"He's a good person. Someone I really like being around and someone I saw a lot of potential in."

The goalkeeper's union invariably means a fraternity among custodians but Hart insists that "it's not a given" friendships are always going to develop with players battling for the same shirt.

"You are always going to respect a colleague but you don't necessarily have to be friends with them.

"I really liked Bailey's attitude and his appetite and felt quite responsible the fact that I was in a role that maybe he would have benefited from.

"At the end of the day, it's a professional dogfight so I was never going to give that role up but I was more than aware that it wasn't the role that I necessarily wanted to be in at that club."

Bailey Peacock-Farrell made a number of vital saves in Northern Ireland's dramatic Euro 2020 play-off semi-final win in Sarajevo

'Goalkeeper a position where you can't go chasing'

Amid Peacock-Farrell's then struggle to make Burnley match day squads, Hart says his involvement with Northern Ireland took on an increasing importance.

"I know how excited he is when it comes to representing and playing for Northern Ireland.

"When your game time is limited, you really do build up towards those minutes. I know that feeling."

But despite that, Hart says Peacock-Farrell has been able to maintain the necessary composure during his international outings which now number 17.

"Goalkeeper is a position where you can't go chasing. You can't go and step on the pitch and make a statement like maybe a striker can.

"You kind of have to wait and see what happens. I've been really impressed how he has been able to wait for his moments. That's going to be really important for him on Thursday night.

"You establish the mindset that it's not all about you. It's about the team.

"Bailey will be the first one to admit that if he doesn't touch the ball and Northern Ireland win, he'll be more than happy."