Joe Hart didn’t miss with his words in response to last night’s Celtic defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League.
The summer signing was in top form against the Germans, pulling off a string of stunning saves to keep the Bhoys in the match. One double save in particular in the second half took supporters’ breath away.
After the match, he spoke passionately about the shortcomings of his team and insisted that the squad are there to get better and reach the levels of a Leverkusen.
He said [Virgin Media Sport]: “We need to keep that character going. There are lots of positives of course but I think we have to be real. We’re trying to create something where we’re not here to take part but really compete.
“We did that for most of the game and look what happened to us. It’s very frustrating but we’re learning as a group. The supporters are with us and we appreciate that but we can’t take that for granted. No more nights like this.
“You have to learn. I’m old enough now to not come out here and say we’ll lose our minds over a loss, we’re not. We’ll dust ourselves down. But we have to learn. It’s such an easy thing to say but we have to learn.
“And we will. We’ve got a good coaching staff. We’ve got a manager who wants to create something. We’re all buying into it where we can be told where can do better and what we can improve. We really need to open our eyes and open our ears. We’re not getting a huge opportunity to train with how the games come so we have to learn in the classroom.”
Hart isn’t just excelling as a goalkeeper this season but he’s really become one of the major spokesmen for the dressing room. He’s fully bought into the Ange Postecoglou project and he will be one of the characters bringing teammates along with him.
That is clear to see in this interview. Hart actually sounds gutted speaking to the reporter in Leverkusen, but he delivers his message with a fiery conviction that, for me, bodes well for the future.
Onwards and upwards despite another European defeat.
In other news, Ange Postecoglou makes substitutes admission after Celtic defeat.
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