Away from domestic business for a minute, Celtic have a major problem coming at them that will need to be addressed before the start of next season.
That’s according to Kenny Dalglish. The former Celtic hero was asked what he thought about the news of Joe Hart retiring means for the club and whilst Dalglish admits he was surprised, he does say that he would have tried to persuade the veteran ‘keeper to stay on at the club.
Dalglish said [No Tippy Tappy Football], “I’m surprised that he’s retiring. He’s only 37. It’s not as if he runs about a lot. And playing at Celtic the biggest trait he needs is to be concentrated.
“Because you don’t see much of the ball. Celtic have got most of it. But he’s played his part at Celtic since he’s been here and he’s done tremendously well.
“And that’s another problem we’re going to have next year, getting a replacement for him. I would have tried to convince him to stay.”
Joe Hart’s Celtic career
Joe Hart came to Celtic at a time of massive upheaval and uncertainty at the club. Finishing the COVID season trophyless, the Hoops had lost their influential captain, Scott Brown, Neil Lennon had left the club, Peter Lawwell stepped down as CEO and a raft of first-team players also departed in the summer.
In came an unknown manager in Ange Postecoglou, we had a new captain and needed to bed in new players to help wrestle the title back from Rangers.
Oh, and Hart was taking over from the Greek stopper, Vasilis Barkas after a season where Hart had played little football himself.
So it is fair to say that the then 35-year-old had a very tough start to life at the club. But he took it all in his stride.
Almost immediately Hart won over the Celtic fans with a series of fine displays. And whilst he has been criticised for some high-profile errors, no one can deny just how important he has been for Celtic over the last three seasons.
With five trophies including a domestic treble, Hart became only the second Celtic player in history to have won every domestic honour in both Scotland and England. The other was, ironically, Dalglish himself.
When the inevitable happens and Hart departs next summer, Rodgers has big gloves to fill and that is a signing that the Celtic manager must get absolutely correct.
In other news, Andy Walker now believes there is a player at Motherwell who could play for Celtic
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