Joe Hart remains heartbroken about his protracted farewell even a month after leaving Celtic.
The custodian, who spent three years in Glasgow, declared back in February that he would retire at the end of the current campaign.
Celtic had fallen from first place in the SPFL at that point in the season, and their performance had been inconsistent, as they had let up leads of up to eight points against Kilmarnock at home and Aberdeen away.
The former England keeper’s dream may have ended in despair, but in the spring, Celtic’s success was spurred on by the return of a few important players, who helped the team win the league and cup—a feat that few supporters had anticipated in February or March.
All of it contributed to an incredible career climax for Hart, to the point that many believed he ought to have been cajoled into accepting a new deal.
The guy handled the pressure well, playing his best in his last four outings as a professional and winning two Glasgow Derby games to round off an incredible career.
Really, I didn’t think anything would happen. In terms of care, encouraging words, and how my family was handled, I had already received more than I could have ever imagined.
I enjoyed that corner, the Green Brigade, and I came out for the second half. the force emanating from that corner. Every away game they attended.
The way they bounce, the songs’ enthusiasm, and that’s me. There is no doubt that I would be happy to be there, and I will be there eventually. The tunes, the throb, the love of the club.
I emerged in the second half. I was trying to figure out what was going on when I caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of my eye. It must have been up already. I had a lot of trouble to calculate the situation—was that me? I am that. I had to jump out of their performance of a song.
I realised that, despite my best efforts to appear professional, I must acknowledge that this is the individual we previously discussed, and I did. I simply had to pinch myself in the jaw a few times while I processed everything, reminding myself that I had work to do.
After that, I kind of got back into it, but that club celebrates right after the trophy was raised and families were allowed on the pitch.
Despite having won 12 leagues in the past 13 years, every trophy is still regarded as if it were the most important thing. I adore that feature of the location. It was a memorable day. A day that will always be etched in my memory, as will everyone involved.
The High Performance podcast, which has 390,000 subscribers, goes much beyond the typical Celtic support.
With the first preseason friendly just a few days away, Hart’s memories of his three amazing years in Glasgow should serve as a powerful motivator for whoever is selected to take over, even though Celtic has not yet moved to sign him few weeks away.
