Sam Allardyce thinks Joe Hart faces a ‘very difficult task’ as the former Burnley bench-warmer looks to get his career back on track at Tottenham Hotspur, speaking to Laura Woods on talkSPORT (17 August, 9.20am).
While there can be absolutely no concerns about Hart’s fitness, it remains to be seen if the 33-year-old’s mind is as strong as his body.
The former England number one made just two first-team appearances during his final season at Burnley, and neither of those came in the Premier League.
With Hugo Lloris and Paulo Gazzaniga set to stay in north London, there is a very real chance that Hart faces another 12 months gathering dust on the bench (Standard).
Considering that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho takes cup competitions more seriously than most, there should at least be the odd League Cup or Europa League fixture to keep Hart focused and motivated as he looks to rebuild his ailing reputation after four years in the wilderness.
“One of the hardest things for a manager is finding a number two goalkeeper who has the mentality to sit on the bench for long periods of time, waiting for the (first-choice) goalkeeper to lose his form and for the manger to make a change,” Allardyce says.
“That’s the problem, to ask a goalkeeper to step up to that level of concentration. It’s a big mentality that’s needed.
“If that’s the right fit for (Hart) and Jose than that’s fine. But if he sits there and loses the will and thinks he’ll never get a game, then comes on and makes a mistake, he might get criticized again.
“It’s a very difficult task. You cant make mistakes as a goalkeeper.
“Joe seems to have lose his confidence when Pep (Guardiola) decided he wasn’t his man. (But) He can still play in cup games and Europa games. He’s got he experience, I just hope he’s’ got the mentality.”
Lloris will most likely remain Spurs’ number one for the time being with the reliable Gazzaniga expected to retain his place on the bench.
Hart, then, could find himself spending most games next season from the stands, a la Lee Grant or Scott Carson. At 33, the former Manchester City ace has plenty of years left on the clock – is he better off spending them at a club where first-team football would be easier to obtain?
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