Vasilis Barkas’ tenure at Celtic was essentially over when Joe Hart joined the team.
The former England goalie made 153 appearances for Celtic, most of them under Ange Postecoglou, and was a big hit there.
When the Australian took over at Celtic in the summer of 2021, he signed Joe Hart right away in an attempt to bolster the goalkeeping position.
Barkas made a lot of blunders during his time with the Bhoys, so Postecoglou understood he needed to bring in a dependable custodian with a strong will.
Here, Hart has revealed the actual chat he had with Ange and the topics they discussed before to the large Englishman signing a three-year contract with Celtic.
On Joe Hart’s treatment at Tottenham prior to joining Celtic
“I said I was at a point at Tottenham where the new manager had come in, I wasn’t playing, and he deemed me not even good enough to be on the bench,” Hart stated on Takes From The Terrace.
I thought, “You know what? This is no longer necessary for me. I’ve fulfilled my football-related obligations. I really don’t have any room. That is not an issue. I’ve enjoyed myself.
Then, with all due respect, I was given the chance to talk to Ange Postecoglou, but I had no idea who she was. I had no idea what he had been doing in the football world.
However, I said, “Can we talk and get to know one another?” And I adored every aspect of him as soon as I chatted with him.
I appreciated his composure, his comprehension of his goals and convictions, the study he had done on me, and our discussions.
What Ange Postecoglou and Joe Hart actually said about joining Celtic
Ange Postecoglou always placed a great emphasis on signing players based on both their personality and skill.
Hart went on, “If anything, we talked as two dads. I said, ‘Look, I have a young family,’ rather than anything about football. I want to represent, and I really wanted my son to see me play.
If you need someone who still has quality and ambition but also wants to help, I feel like a father figure in the dressing room. I’m putting myself out there. I completely appreciate that if you don’t. I’m not the right guy for you, you know.
He claimed that was something he required. He had completed all the necessary research and had seen me enough as a goalie to not even need to do any more.
Therefore, we would if we could make it work. Very, very truthful. He was quite consistent in his statement that he is not the type of person who seeks to have a close relationship with his players, and I completely accept that.
However, I believe that we shared a special link in that we were able to support one another when we needed it. And I will always be appreciative of that. I also played some crazy football over some memorable years.
