Joe Hart isn’t exactly getting rave reviews from Celtic fans this season and his most recent performance during the defeat to Hearts hasn’t helped matters.
From Hearts’ free-kick goal to Joe Hart’s general play on Saturday, it was another frustrating afternoon for Celtic’s number one.
But one part of that game left the fans ‘utterly bemused’ was when the 36-year-old, rather than catch the ball after a shot at goal, proceeded to punch it.
As soon as it happened, a loud and audible groan went around Parkhead. It’s not a sound you want to put on repeat, that’s for sure!
Pat Bonner was on commentary duty at the time and he was adamant that Joe Hart should have been ‘catching the ball’, as he told BBC Radio Scotland (16/12/23).
The team was already losing, and the fans were already frustrated, so shooting yourself in the foot only made matters worse.
Thankfully, the next time in the game Joe Hart had to decide to punch or catch, he picked the latter to the ironic cheers of the home support.
Joe Hart’s catching
“The ball takes a deflection and Hart will need to keep an eye on that,” said the commentator. “But he punches it under a little bit of pressure. The Celtic fans are utterly bemused. Why on earth is he punching that?”
Bonner added: “He is a big guy. He should be getting up there and catching it above the player. Using his knee and body to hold the player off. He has seen it in the corner of his eye that he was going to get challenged and he made up his mind early.”
Joe Hart’s replacement
Rodgers has made it clear time and time again that he wants news faces through the doors in January as quickly as possible.
He has no time to waste, and rightly so. But it will be interesting to know where he sees Hart in his current short-term picture.
It’s pretty clear, with Hart’s contract set to expire in June 2024, he is heading for the exit door.
But will the 75-cap England star’s replacement come in January? Which would be the wise and logical move.
Or, given the club’s need to improve other areas, will this one be put on the back burner for the summer?! All in all, a decision needs to be made!
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