Joe Hart

Its difficult to replace that leadership.

 

Going to be a nightmare to replace both on and off the pitch. You can see the bond he's formed with the squad. Gonny miss the big guy.

 

Should be subbed off with a couple of minutes to go on Saturday.

 

Big man’s been absolutely brilliant. His form since he announced his retirement has been his best in a Celtic shirt. Super Joe will be remembered very fondly indeed. What a guy.

 

This Saturday, Joe Hart will take his final bow at Celtic Park on a day when he also lifts the Premiership trophy for the third consecutive season.

The 37-year-old goalkeeper is calling time on a long and illustrious career, with the last game of his professional career coming next weekend in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden.

Tomorrow is sure to be an emotional afternoon at Paradise for the Englishman, who has taken Celtic to his heart in the same way that supporters appreciate him.

And for Brendan Rodgers, working with Hart has been one of the highlights of this title-winning season.

Paying tribute to his goalkeeper, the Celtic manager said: “He’s been a remarkable player throughout his career – 75caps for England and the honours he’s won at various other clubs.

“I was really looking forward to coming in and working with Joe. I know when he came here three years ago, I felt that it would be a great move for him because hadn’t been playing so much and probably his career wasn’t moving as he would have wanted it to or certainly it was getting towards the end, but coming here he has been reinvigorated.

'He’s just such a great guy. For 37 years of age, he comes in every day to try and impress and let people judge him like it’s his first ever day.'

“He’s been a real leader in the changing room with Callum – Callum’s been absolutely incredible as a captain, but you need people alongside you as well to drive the messages through, and Joe has been very strong in that.

“He will be sorely missed because, as I said, he’s a good guy, and I know after, when he finishes, he’ll look back on this spell and he’ll only see it as being a huge positive for him.

“He’s loved and adored by the supporters – they see he’s a genuine guy who has given his all for Celtic, and let’s hope in these next couple of games we can finish off his story and he can got off into the sunset successful and a legendary Celt.”

 

Not normally one for doing it but would be great to see him get subbed off late in the game tomorrow and give him the ovation he deserves.

He’s been absolutely massive for us and an incredible signing in terms of value for money. Not just his performances on the park, which have largely been excellent, he brings leadership, experience and a personality which is worth its weight in gold.

 

Trophy Day at Celtic Park this Saturday doesn’t only bring down the curtain of the 2023/24 SPFL campaign, it also sees Joe Hart’s final game at Celtic Park as he gets set to hang up his gloves following nest weekend’s Scottish Cup final.

Tomorrow he puts on his gloves for the 704th time in top-class first-team football – he can also add 75 English caps to that haul, meaning his appearance in the final will take him to 780 senior games in all.

It’s a career to be proud of and he goes out at the top with clutch of winner’s medals with Celtic. The Hoops’ No.1 sat down for an exclusive interview with Celtic TV on the eve of his final game at Celtic Park.

He said: “It will be forever in my heart this place, I absolutely love it.

'I’m trying to put into worlds how proud I am to have played and represented it.'

“I’ve been welcomed - my young family, the way that they’ve been made to feel is really, really special. I’ll be forever grateful and forever a supporter.’


It may be his last game in Paradise, but he will certainly be back at Celtic Park in future with all his fellow Celtic supporters.

His message to the Celtic fans is: 'Just thank you, thank you.'

“I appreciate everything, I appreciate all the kind words. I appreciate the backing. I appreciate the support in terms of wanting us to be better all the time - that push, that drive, no-one accepting anything other than the best.'

“There's just a lot of love, a lot of love and appreciation and I hope this relationship doesn’t end.

“I want to continue it for as long as I possibly can.”

 

Had a tear in my eye watching and listening to Joe there, he very nearly lost it when he was explaining how much Celtic have made him and his family welcome and happy.

He's come up here and he's got it big time.

Gonna miss him when he's gone.

 

He's came up here after a fantastic career, like many others have but so many times we've seen those type of players just go through the motions, pick up a wage and just disappear. He has completely dived into our club and culture head first and completely immersed himself in it and had got what Celtic is in a way that so very few players in recent times have.

He's been a huge figure the past 3 years, I bet Mcgregor loved having him to lean on as a new captain taking over from a legend like Broony. He's been such an influencial figure and he's gonna be really hard to replace on the pitch but maybe even more so off of it.

Ironically his form since announcing his retirement has gone through the roof and he's been absolutely tremendous. Hoping he gets subbed off late on 2mo so we can all show our appreciation for him.

 

Difficult one..

There's been a few banded about nothing concrete yet..

 

Don't think I have ever been as wrong about a person in my life, thought little of him before he came here, boy was I wrong, top man, top personality, been mega in this title win. I remember his save V Alkmaar at CP, would have lost that tie if not for that

 

Big man has been superb up here, and gets us 100%

 

Just a jem of a guy, 100% got what celtic is about. Natural leader. Will be sorely missed.
Defo got better when he announced his retirement. Solid keeper for 3 years for less than a million pounds.

 

Very similar to the attitude Sinclair has when he came in.

They know they've made their money and they know they aren't going to play for a title pushing side down south any more. Not first team/starter at least.

So come up to Celtic, earn a fair wage and win some medals. Fall in love with the club and go out a hero.

Guy didn't come here for a fat pay cheque and a retirement plan. He came here to enjoy his sport and earn medals. He came here to compete and be a winner. He got that and more.

I was for sure a doubter when first linked with him. But he shut that down quick enough and I couldn't be happier to have had him here these 3 years.

* bless Joe Hart.

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Tremendous interview. What a gentleman.
His presence will be sorely missed when he goes.

Always a place for him at the club whenever he wants to come back.

 

Henke aside, I don't think I've ever loved a Celtic player more than big Joe. If you watch that interview and don't get emotional there's something wrong.

 

Yeah money wasnt his motivation. He came up here to play games and enjoy his football again.

He was a top keeper who was playing at highest level and used to winning trophies and in the blink of an eye Guardiola totally ruined his reputation by highlighting the 1 or 2 things in his game he couldn't do rather than treat him with the respect he deserved for what he could do.


Always had the opinion of him that he was a bit of your typical arrogant English premiership player and bit of a *. He's completely destroyed that image, has came across as a truly genuine, decent guy and proved that he was nowhere near as washed up as many people would of had you believe.

He's been a great signing for us and we've been a great signing for him too.