Brendan Rodgers won’t be looking to sign a goalkeeper during the January transfer window.
Joe Hart has barely missed a match since his move from Spurs in August 2021 but turning 37 in April with his contract expiring at the end of the season his situation is one that will have to be addressed at some stage.
Neither Scott Bain or Ben Siegrist have provided any real threat to the former England keeper who has now made over 130 appearances for Celtic.
Discussing Hart and the goalkeeping situation, Brendan Rodgers told the Daily Record:
It’s not something that we’re looking at just now. There are other areas we have to look at first.
There will be positions in the summer we’ll be able to improve on and it’s the same in January but I love working with Joe, he’s a great guy. Hopefully he continues.
We haven’t spoken about it. At that age, I think he’s just happy to be playing. Joe’s family is down south so he has shown incredible commitment to be up here.
A mid season change of goalkeeper would be a risky move for any club to make, with such a specialist position a summer deal and time to settle in seems much more logical.
Celtic have been very well served by goalkeepers in the recent past with Hart almost instantly solving a problem position that had rotated between Vasilis Barkas, Bain and Connor Hazard during the Lockdown season.
In Joe we trust. A fabulous servant. Gets it. No p1sh. Yup the odd error but name me a keeper who is perfect?? Gets way too much negativity from some of us as most times he’s solid. Great keeper and a good guy. It seems from BR this is his final stretch… Pity next year as a backup and coach for a new keeper would have been good. The 2/3 back ups we have just ain’t it.
Calamity Joe.
You can be ensured of one big calamity in each match Joe has, he gets away with some.
He can also make excellent saves.
He does need replaced, I had thoughts on Roos of Aberdeen, but not seen enough of him yet.
Whoever we get has to fit in with the team, personality with good mental strength is needed at Celtic.
Celtic should not sign a goalkeeper from another Scottish club. They have not done so since Ally Hunter back in the seventies,
Well if this is to be his final stretch may he go out with a bang by an incredible second half and business end of the season…
If he hugely contributes to Celtic gaining record Champions League cash and Sevco not getting it – he will forever be a Celtic eternal legend –
I hope that’ll be enough good motivation for Joe to depart a Champion (minimum) and a Double winner (ideally) !
That big time error he made against Rangers on the free kick ‘does not classify Hart as solid’. You and others do not realize the number of errors he made allowing that free kick goal. The first was his wall set up (3) in the wall instead of (4). His positioning as he does not take the near post away from the shooter. His first step would never allow him to get any required lift, to get lift you need to bend your knees and finally the major mistake of using his ‘low’ right hand to attempt this save. Technique requires ‘high’ hand or his left hand to get higher but nobody, not even his coach recognizes this error as he has made when playing with England re: Griffiths free kick goals Scotland 2 -2 draw.
A valid point Francis – except that his error was against Sevco and not ‘Rangers’ as you describe Sevco as…
They (Rangers) died (c.2012) !
“…he’s a great guy…”
Sorry, but don’t want to hear that.
Yes, Joe has been a good servant: been paid very well and was able to
resurrect his career with us.
But, it was obvious early last season that he was past his best.
Last summer’s inadequate summer transfer business has cost us
the LC – and a shambolic CL campaign.
Hopefuly, we can still secure both the SC and the league title.
BR is trying to manage expectations: no keeper in January either,
but maybe next summer…?
Why didn’t he just get the boy Lawwell to inform us instead…?
He Means Peter Lawwell Won’t Spend Our Money…No Surprises There Then!!
Exactly, and we’re verging on desperate.
FFS, what if he gets injured?
And what position needs cover (not to mention bedding in) more than ‘keeper?
Aye, fukkin Lawwell’s stench is all over this and the fat baztard is not supposed to be an executive FFS. Get him tae fukk, pronto and Brendan, don’t protect the cunt.
Bob, aside from an incorrect quote what do you want??? Take the flat summer signings out on a player who has zero to do with such??? Payed well??? A player in our squad how isn’t please it’s how recruitment works?? Joe turns up most of the time … 22 games … 10 clean sheets… 12 let in and with an ever changing defense in front of him too. Be glad we got a decent one, true better available but we attracting such??
“Bob, aside from an incorrect quote what do you want??? ”
That was a correct quote, attributed to BR in the article above.
I politely disagree: Joe was past his best last season.
Cleansheets in the SPL aside, his decline has continued this season.
But our poor TEAM performances this season so far are not just down to him.
Even BR himself has not exactly been impressive this season.
But, that’s just my opinion.
And it’s a moot point anyway about Joe: our Board lacks ambition,
and prefers to hoard cash instead of investing more in the squad & business.
We might still have Joe between the sticks next season anyway! 🙁
Believe Rodgers took the decision to stick with Hart as no 1 choice this season imo?
Always a potential tough decision to make but Rodgers seems to like the experience angle within the team taking preference within his current decision making imo.
So don’t think Rodgers currently has any intention of replacing Hart before the end of the season.
Not overly confident about it being done in the summer either at present, and wonder what the reaction would be if Hart was to be offered say another 2 year deal with ourselves?
Personally believe we are still playing a risky game, especially as I wouldn’t rate Bain as a no2 keeper and only making up squad numbers for European football currently?
So if Rodgers is claiming to be looking for quality in certain positions, then I can’t see hart’s position getting addressed before the end of the season at earliest imo, especially as a quality keeper is hardly going to be an understudy to Hart at present
Hart is not good enough for Europe, but he is good enough for the SPFL, similar to what Craig Gordon was. It’s a conundrum because you can get rid of Hart & spend £5m on a replacement but end up with much worse, like happened with Barkas replacing Gordon in lockdown season. Livakovic has also not been very good at Fenerbhace either by the way.
Joe,
Joe Hart was capped for England 75 times. He always offers his services to help
other people. Do you know if he has received any Queen’s Honours.
I thought Joe played fairly well against ‘Gers. We hav’nt seen much of
Ben and Scott in matches, nor has BR.
We could do worse than keep an eye on Zach Hemmings of St.Mirren….Just saying…
Yes Joe Hart is best we have but we need to seriously look for a goalkeeper for next season it is such important position Hart is good goalkeeper he has his faults age footwork not coming of his line at corners any goalkeeper uf they get a hand on a ball us disappointed nit to save it Joe git his hand to taverniers free kick but failed to keep it out maybe try again for foster
I think Rodgers doesn’t have it to be a Celtic manager. His insistance on playing Ambrose first time around until the Red Imps disaster means he cannot learn from experience.
Johnson and Forrest is another signal. This latest statement involving Hart is another example of denying what is in front of him.
Every Celtic fan loves big Joe but they are almost united in feeling we need a new keeper. Why not make him a coach as he probably knows his stuff but just a little old for the practical.
His weakness at corners and dead ball situations is not new. He was in goals when Griffiths scored with two free kicks against England.
Rodgers also doesn’t realise if you keep Tavernier quiet with Maeda or Palmas, Sevco have nothing. Putting Johnson on him at the later part of the last match allowed him back in the game.
For that reason I cannot see us winning at Ibrox so would think the league is still in Sevco’s hands.