Joe Hart is set to sail off into the sunset at Celtic and it seems he’s going to hop the fence and work as a pundit at the Euros this summer.
But if I was Brendan Rodgers I’d be trying to persuade the no.1 to drop the mic and pick up the gloves again for next season. The Celtic manager is facing the prospect of changing Hart – but he should be trying to encourage a change of heart. He might be 37-years-old but there’s nothing to suggest he’s ready for the knacker’s yard.
On the contrary – Hart has been outstanding this season. His performance levels have been sky high for his three years in Glasgow but if anything he’s gone up a notch since announcing he was planning to retire at the end of the campaign. I just look at the way he’s dealt with the pressure of the run in and the sheer joy he’s taken from helping his team over the line. It’s understandable to want to go out at the top but I just keep thinking, why would you give all this up?
You could see at Rugby Park what it meant to him to win another title. The passion, the pride, the joy and sheer relief at completing the job they set out to do nine months ago. Hart has been an enormous figure at Celtic. You look at what he has brought to the club in terms of his character, experience and influence.
But on top of all of that he’s a bloody good goalkeeper as well. When Celtic’s title success this season is analysed, people will look to the likes of Callum McGregor, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda coming back from injuries, they’ll point to the resurgence of James Forrest or the crucial goals scored by Adam Idah.
They shouldn’t overlook the big saves made by Hart. There have been key moments in big games when he’s made the difference. Sure, there’s been the odd scare, but those moments are few and far between.
Okay, he’s 37, but it’s not exactly ancient for a goalkeeper and having played just about every game this season, he’s clearly looked after himself and is in great nick. Hart has been absolutely brilliant and it’s going to be close to impossible to replace him with a keeper of similar stature and ability.
The impact he’s made has been extraordinary. We’ve seen plenty of aging stars coming to Scotland from down south and almost giving the impression they think it will be easy. Most of them find out otherwise pretty sharpish and plenty have come a cropper.
Hart arrived with a huge reputation. He had 75 caps for England, played in major championships, won Premier League titles, been deep in the Champions League, you name it. Yet he threw himself into life at Celtic, and it’s no wonder supporters picked up on that and it’s why he will leave a hero.
I just don’t think he should go. Rodgers should be saying, ‘Come on Joe, give us another year’.
I know there are other non-football reasons involved with stuff like family to think about. But bring them up Joe. My kids had Scottish accents, but thankfully I managed to fix that later...
Rodgers will know it’s hard to find leaders like Hart. In fairness, Celtic have a few of them – and that’s why they are champions. I look at the likes of McGregor and Forrest – along with Hart – and they are the ones who stayed calm and produced when the pressure was really on.
Then I look at Rangers and you can see why they collapsed when the heat came on and ultimately fell short. You see Todd Cantwell’s goal celebration the other night in front of all those empty seats at Ibrox.
He should have been keeping the head down after his side’s failure, not drawing yet more attention to himself. I think back to the social media stuff with the 56 on his shorts – with reference to the title. The likes of McGregor and Forrest have done their talking on the pitch – not on their shorts.
That has been the key difference for me over the course. It’s not been a vintage season for Celtic by any means. There have been difficulties and hurdles along the way. But they’ve done it when it mattered in the big games and are deservedly champions.
Rodgers has been giving a bit back to the critics and he’s absolutely entitled to do so. The criticism at stages of the season was perfectly valid as well, as recruitment wasn’t great, Europe wasn’t a success and some of the games were a tough watch.
But you have to take your hat off to Rodgers for the way he steered the side through the problems and then put the foot down at the most crucial time. He had big calls to make in the final few months of the season and didn’t put a foot wrong.
Even look at Wednesday night at Kilmarnock. That should have been one of those horrible, scrappy 1-0 wins, just about getting the job done.
Instead, Celtic were devastating. It was arguably the best display of the season. The decision to pitch in Idah was inspired and it worked an absolute treat and it was almost like everything Rodgers has been searching for this season came together over the 90 minutes.
They are flying and confidence will be through the roof heading Hampden for the Scottish Cup Final. It will be billed as Hart’s big farewell – but it doesn’t have to be.
