Joe Hart, the custodian for Celtic, declared his retirement from football at the end of the current campaign.
Hart, whose contract with Celtic expires in the summer, will be 37 years old. In his 21-year professional career, he has made 690 appearances for 10 different clubs. Hart has spent the last three seasons with the Scottish powerhouse, Celtic, where he has played 138 games and kept 59 clean sheets.
With the Hoops, Hart has taken home five major trophies. He wants to cap off his final season in Glasgow with a third Scottish Premiership and a second Scottish Cup.
In an interview for Celtic TV, the 75-cap England international—who was a member of the Three Lions squads for four major tournaments in a row between 2010 and 2016—explained why he decided to put up his gloves. Jamie Edwards is his mental performance coach.
“As of June, I’m going to stop playing professional football,” Hart stated. I’ve given this some serious thought for a long. There’s no right or wrong time, but there’s a lot going on in this club where I’m playing right now.
With the overall goal of the club, the network of supporters, and the discussions that surround it, so much love and passion goes into what we do as a football team.
“There is undoubtedly a discussion regarding the goalkeeping situation for the upcoming season, therefore I felt it was crucial that we spread the word with the club’s approval and following discussions with goalie coach Stevie Woods and Brendan Rogers. It eliminates one possibility that would have required conjecture.”
Hart said, “Physically, I feel great.” “As far as I can given my age and the damage I’ve done to my body, I started playing football when I was 16 years old.
“I’ve taken every step to maintain my finest physical condition and position so that on game day, I can give it my all, and as of right now, I’m at that. I really do peak on game day, but I know that time waits for no man, and I don’t want my body to be the one to retire me. That was one of the main reasons (for my choice).
“Joe has enjoyed a phenomenal career and I know will be huge miss to the game when he finally retires from playing football in the summer,” Celtics manager Brendan Rodgers said in a statement posted on the team’s official website.
“Joe deserves enormous congratulations and appreciation for what he has accomplished in football; he has been such a brilliant
More than that, though, he is an amazing man who is a pleasure to work with. I know that during his career, he has been a terrific teammate to many, and he is a player who always gives it his all. His daily work ethic serves as an inspiration to everyone in football.
“I know he will continue in football in some capacity, even though he will be a true loss on the pitch. It will always be a part of his life, and I have no doubt that everyone at the club will wish him nothing but the best of luck in whatever he chooses to do after the summer.
“I completely comprehend and honour Joe’s rationale for releasing this statement, being upfront with the club, and
“I also know he will continue to work right through this season with the same intensity, commitment and drive which he has always been known for.”
Hart, Andrei Kanchelskis, and Sir Kenny Dalglish are the only three players who have won winners’ medals in all three of the major trophies in both England and Scotland.
The custodian started his career with his hometown team, Shrewsbury Town, and made his senior debut there in April 2004. After that, he joined Manchester City, where he was first loaned out to Birmingham City, Blackpool, and Tranmere Rovers before being brought into the starting lineup.
Hart went on to make history with Man City, where he made 348 appearances and took home two FA Cups, two EFL Cups, and a Premier League championship.
In addition to being included in the PFA Team of the Year when Man City celebrated their first top-flight triumph in forty-four years in the 2011–12 campaign, he was the recipient of the Premier League Golden Glove after preserving 17 clean sheets.
Hart left Man City in 2016 to take a loan position at Torino and West Ham United, then moved permanently in 2018 to join Burnley after manager Pep Guardiola took over in that role.
Hart played for Tottenham Hotspur for the 2020–21 season following his two years with the Clarets. Then, in pursuit of a new challenge and regular first-team action, Hart moved to Scotland to join Celtic.
Hart, who has made 34 appearances for Celtic in all competitions so far this season, is predicted to start in goal for Celtic against Motherwell on Sunday.
