Joe Hart played for both Pep Guardiola and Ange Postecoglou during his trophy-laden career.
It could be argued that the road of the Celtic hero moving to Glasgow in 2021 started with his abrupt exit from Manchester City in 2018, where it is openly known that Guardiola didn’t give him a chance at the Etihad.
Nonetheless, on Sunday, Guardiola waved goodbye to Manchester City, ending his ten-year stint in the English Premier League and leaving a legacy that probably nobody else, other than Alex Ferguson, can match.
Hart was asked about Guardiola’s exit, the emotional effect that it has on a player, as he reencountered Postecoglou leaving Celtic in 2023, and how he has never previously felt such heartbreak.
Mark Chapman: “You were at Celtic when Postecoglou left. That feeling of (someone leaving), because he did. He did have a massive impact. It’s an obvious thing to say, but he did.”
Hart: “I was absolutely gutted. I haven’t had that feeling much, I will be honest, when it comes to managers.
“In terms of, I have always got on with pretty much all my coaches on a professional level.”
- READ MORE: Ex-Celtic star Ryan Christie’s Bournemouth success story reaches a new and historic level
Name Celtic’s best and worst player this season…🤔🤨🍀
Joe Hart on emotional Ange Postecoglou exit after Pep Guardiola bids farewell to Manchester City
Celtic had just won the Treble under Postecoglou, and then Tottenham, for whom Hart had previously played, came knocking for his services.
That’s the nearest the former England goalkeeper has got to in experiencing a figure like Guardiola leaving.
But the former shot-stopper did admit on BBC Radio 5 Live that, as soon as he heard that Brendan Rodgers was returning, his mood changed.
Mark Chapman: “You were at Celtic when Postecoglou left. That feeling of (someone leaving), because he did. He did have a massive impact. It’s an obvious thing to say, but he did.”
Hart: “I was absolutely gutted. I haven’t had that feeling much, I will be honest, when it comes to managers.
“In terms of, I have always got on with pretty much all my coaches on a professional level.
“But I felt what he was doing was unbelievable to a part of. Then he went on to do bigger and better things.
“I was absolutely delighted when Brendan Rodgers was coming in. I knew he knew exactly what he was doing. I knew how much he loved the football club. I knew how important he was at the football club.
“So, from that moment on, you shake hands, wish Ange all the best. Who is coming in? Who is coming in to replace them? How are we going to work on it?
“Call it cutthroat cold. I don’t know what you want to call it. But I was never too emotionally attached to anything.”
Hart ‘wouldn’t change anything’ about Celtic spell after Manchester City exit
For those who don’t know, Guardiola recently stated that his ‘biggest regret’ at Manchester City was not giving Hart a chance.
As soon as the three-time European Cup winner moved to Manchester, he booted out Hart without even seeing what he could do in between the sticks – the Englishman’s career would derail for a few years.
Hart responded once again to that admission from Guardiola, and how it doesn’t bother him, because it allowed him to spend three years at the champions of Scotland, and he ‘wouldn’t change that for anything.’
“Do you know what I also got to do?” said Hart. “I also got to go and travel in Serie A. I played a year there.
“I went on loan at West Ham. Okay, it didn’t work out. But I still experienced it.
“Then to top it all off, I got three years at Celtic, which I would never have got, and I wouldn’t change that for anything.”
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
