In the wake of the seismic shift at Celtic, goalkeeper Joe Hart was the first player to face the media in pre-season and the first to comment on the departure of Ange Postecoglou and the return of Brendan Rodgers. The conference, courtesy of Celtic TV, provided an insightful look into the players’ perspective on the recent managerial change.
Hart, a key figure in the Celtic squad, was asked about his feelings on Postecoglou’s departure. “Look, we shared two really special years together, they were obviously very successful,” Hart began, reflecting on the successful tenure under Postecoglou. “People are interested in what you’re going to be doing next and what your ideas are and look, Ange had a decision to make and he made it.”
The bond between the players and their former manager was evident in Hart’s words. “We absolutely loved working under him and I really enjoyed my time personally, I really get on with him as a person and I wish him all the best.”
However, Hart also acknowledged the transient nature of football. “Football’s got this kind of magical way of it keeps moving. Next, we get the news that Brendan’s coming in and we’ve got a new focus and a new task.”
When asked if Postecoglou’s move to Tottenham Hotspur was a testament to the work done at Celtic, Hart was unequivocal. “Yeah, look, it speaks volumes. We had, like I said, two excellent years of exciting football front-foot football and we managed to win five out of the six domestic trophies. We did our best in Europe.”
Hart also hinted at the team’s ambitions under the new management. “That was definitely something we felt like we could improve on and we can look to do that under Brendan Rodgers now.”
The Celtic squad, while acknowledging the impact of Postecoglou, seems ready to embrace the new era under Rodgers. As the pre-season progresses, the focus will undoubtedly shift towards the new task at hand – continuing Celtic’s domestic dominance and making strides in Europe.
