Joe Hart’s arrival at Celtic added experience and stability to the team’s goalkeeping position in the summer of 2021.
After the Celtic fans endured a season of watching Vasilis Barkas, Conor Hazard and Scott Bain all flounder in the Hoops goalmouth, Hart’s wealth of Premier League and international experience stood him in good stead to become Celtic’s number one.
One of the strongest parts of Hart’s game is his shot-stopping ability. Celtic fans have witnessed this on numerous occasions over the past two seasons and whilst he didn’t have many saves to make of note yesterday at Ibrox, his presence and leadership at the back provided reassurance to an inexperienced Celtic defence. This will be crucial for Celtic in the coming weeks.
Hart’s communication skills are invaluable on the field. His ability to organise the defence, provide instructions and be calm in high-pressure situations can’t be underestimated. It proved vital at Ibrox yesterday and will prove to be so again when Celtic return from the international break and kick off their Champions League campaign against Feyenoord.
Whilst it’s undeniable that Hart can be subject to the occasional moments where he can make mistakes with the ball at his feet, Hart’s 26 clean sheets were one of the reasons why the club won the double in 2022 and then the subsequent Treble last season with 20 shutouts. [Transfermarkt]
The goalkeeper position is one that can often be underappreciated and whilst Hart is getting on in years and has entered the final year of his contract, he can still play a crucial role at Celtic like he did at Ibrox yesterday.
Celtic will need to eventually address the Joe Hart problem. As I said, he is out of contract at the end of the season and at 36-years-old, he cannot go on forever. But for this season, he could still be that reliable pair of gloves in between the sticks until a new keeper comes in.
In other news, ‘I think they realise’: Mark Wilson makes Celtic fan claim after Brendan Rodgers secures huge derby result