‘It’s sad to see’: Carragher and Richards hate seeing what’s happened to Tottenham player

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Micah Richards admits it is ‘sad to see’ Joe Hart simply ending his career on Tottenham Hotspur’s bench.

Richards talked up Tottenham goalkeeper Hart’s talents on the Greatest Game podcast.

The Spurs reserve was once one of the finest goalkeepers in world football, but his career has really unravelled in recent years.

Hart has badly struggled for any game time for numerous seasons now, and only performs a back-up function at Tottenham now.

The experienced stopper’s talents have quickly been forgotten about.

And Richards and Jamie Carragher both felt sorry for Hart, over the way his career seems to be ending.

“In net I’ve got to go Joe Hart,” Richards said when asked to name his best five a side team.

“I know it’s not ended his career the way he has wanted to.

“Those seasons in the Champions League and when we won the league he was ridiculous.

“I feel very sorry for him. He’s more than that [a sub]. What’s he got, 60 caps for England?”

“I think it’s sad and I don’t just mean Joe Hart, I mean players in general. I think I was the opposite and I always use Michael Owen as an example,” Carragher responded.

“He was playing at the World Cup at 18 and I was just about getting on the bench for Liverpool.

“My last game was at Anfield and people clapping me off and he came on as sub for Stoke. And I always think the way you finish, is maybe the last thing in people’s minds.

“I think Hart is the perfect example. When you think of what he has done, he was England’s number one for five or six years, how long he played, what he did at Man City and just now he’s on the bench for Spurs you don’t want people to think about that.”

“It’s sad to see,” Richards agreed. “And I’m not just saying that because he’s my friend but any player!

“To see the way he has ended is sad but he’s a lot happier within himself and that’s important.”

Hart’s chances of ever breaking into Tottenham’s team look very slim.

Even when Hugo Lloris’ form dipped this season, the prospect of using Hart more regularly never seemed a realistic one.

Hart has played for Spurs in the Europa League and FA Cup this season and generally looked solid, but when Tottenham were in a pressurised game, the former England international was always dropped back down to the bench.

Hart is now used mainly for his leadership qualities and experience at Spurs, and his professionalism has always been spoken about highly by the North London club’s coaching staff.