Joe Hart’s career was on the ropes and nearly on the floor before he joined Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic in 2021.
After winning two Premier League titles with Manchester City, a new era at the Etihad was going to begin when the legendary figure of Pep Guardiola entered the building in 2016.
That would signal the start of a downward spiral of Hart’s career, as Guardiola booted him out, and he would end up in Italy, as well as warming the benches of Burnley, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
But then Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou came calling, and Hart, who would previously never listen to what any of his coaches had to say, even Guardiola, was soon starting to change his ways when in the company of the Treble-winning coach.
Joe Hart and Ange Postecoglou celebrate with the title.
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Celtic hero Joe Hart on never listening to anybody
For those Celtic supporters who don’t know, Hart played cricket growing up at a very strong level, and it is still a big passion of his.
The 38-year-old was a special guest on the Stick to Cricket podcast, where he was alongside some of the greats of English cricket, including former Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan.
That’s where Hart began opening up about how single-minded he was in his career, and then Celtic changed it all.
Ex-England captain Vaughan: ‘Can you look back at your career, which manager has given a speech or said something to your team that’s just given you that little bit of an edge?”
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Hart: “Really good question. You know what? I was in such a flow in my career, up until my career kind of went to a real high level for me, I just didn’t really listen to anyone. I just went for it.
“So, there was nothing in the room that could have changed how I thought. It could have been positive, negative. I just absolutely adored what I was doing. I felt like I was getting better, and I wanted more, and then it plateaued somewhat, to my surprise.
“From that moment that you’re talking about there, and I was like desperate to get it back.
“So, I was open to all ears. Open to everything. Mental coaches. Someone that I worked with from a young age, who I loved and wanted to hear what they had to say. I wanted to hear what my family had to say, and then, I kind of drifted around in football for a bit and then I got to Celtic for my final bit.”
But then Ange Postecoglou changed it all…
Postecoglou is welcome back at Celtic anytime, and one thing that made him stand out was how he spoke to the media and the fans.
You could listen to Postecoglou all day long, and his speeches even managed to change the mindset of Hart, who would previously never listen to anyone.
“The way Ange spoke to me, and the way Ange Postecoglou spoke before games just really resonated with me,” added Hart.
“Whether it would have resonated with me when I was younger, and I wasn’t necessarily listening to anyone, I don’t know.
“But at that age, when I just wanted to have a go, one last time. The way he spoke and the way he got us ready for games, and the way he implemented how he wanted us to play, regardless of what was going on around us.
“He really got inside me. He made me feel good. It was more how we kind of got into the mindset of the team, and how we kind of used analogies and examples of being together and being as a family and representing your family.”