Craig Gordon believes Joe Hart does not get the respect that the Celtic star deserves ahead of the League Cup final. Instead, the goalkeeper’s critics are too eager to recollect his past.
The 35-year-old has impressed Gordon with how he has turned his career around with the Hoops. Hart had fallen from the heights of being England’s No1 in the terms preceding his switch to Parkhead. Yet he is firmly the Hoops’ first-choice and a key part of the Celtic side.
Bhoys chiefs even paid Tottenham Hotspur just £1m for Hart in August 2021. He had only featured 10 times for the Premier League side during his sole season in north London. The 75-cap shot-stopper had joined Spurs after falling out of favour over two years at Burnley.
Hart’s move to Burnley marked the end of a 12-year spell with Manchester City, where he won two Premier League titles. He also spent 2016/17 on loan to Torino and 2017/18 with West Ham United in a bid to revive a career that started to fall away at the Etihad Stadium.
It was also following his time with West Ham that Gareth Southgate no longer named Hart in any England squads. He had been a regular for the Three Lions since 2010 and made his debut in 2008. Yet Southgate moved on to Jordan Pickford ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
Craig Gordon believes Joe Hart is underappreciated since moving to Celtic
Yet Hart is now in line to compete for his third trophy with Celtic in the League Cup final on Sunday. The Shrewsbury-born shot-stopper lifted the cup last term for Ange Postecoglou’s first trophy in charge. Together, they also helped the Hoops seal the 2021/22 Premiership.
Another Scottish top-flight title may also follow this season to add to Hart’s two crowns in England. His trophy cabinet also features two English League Cup titles and an FA Cup from his career with Manchester City. Now, Gordon feels a third title at Celtic will motivate Hart.
The Hearts goalkeeper also believes Hart does not get the respect that his performances at Celtic merit. Instead, his critics are too keen to recall how Hart’s career fell off in England.
“Joe has shown resilience to get back out there,” Gordon said, via quotes by the Glasgow Times. “The criticism you had in the past will never go away. It’s always something people will go back to right throughout his career.
“People mention it about him and when he left Man City. That’s what everyone wants to talk about. They don’t want to talk about how he has managed to come back via different clubs and all the avenues he had to go down.
“He was a second-choice for a while. But he’s come back and is now a No1 playing in a cup final with a great chance of winning the league, as well.”
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