With his 36th birthday less than two months away Joe Hart’s career should be winding down.
Seven years ago he was being written off by Pep Guardiola with stops off’s at Torino, West Ham, Burnley then Spurs suggesting that his career was on a terminal decline.
Three games into last season Ange Postecoglou decided that he needed a new goalkeeper, Hart was persuaded away from the final season of his Tottenham contract for an unexpected twist to his career.
Being a goalkeeper is about more than keeping the ball out of the net, Hart provides much needed leadership to a youthful squad and a reliable focus for the Celtic defence.
He is far from perfect, he can take a touch too many on the ball, he can cause the occasional panic but he can be called upon and is as crucial to Celtic’s success as any of Ange Postecoglou’s signings.
With over 70 international caps covering World Cups and European Championships and a significant role in the rebirth of Manchester City Hart has had a very fulfilling career but from the image below there are still more medals to be collected and ambitions to be achieved.
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As with outfield players, goalies have their strengths and weaknesses. Like all contributors to the squad, he doesn’t just deserve but won his League Cup winners’ medal. I hope he gets one or two more.
Whoever replaces Joe needs to have the same outlook and attitude of a winner