Joe Hart’s emotional Celtic address in full as keeper reveals the reason behind his big decision

The goalkeeper role might be the most individual position on the pitch but Joe Hart has always been the ultimate team player.

And that is why he’s gone public on the most personal of decisions as the Celtic no.1 announced he’s going to hang up his gloves at the end of the season. Hart knows there are a million and one issues and distractions swirling around the club right now as they gear up for the final push for the Premiership title. And he doesn’t want to be one of them.

Hart isn’t interested in talk about his future or the inevitable long list of potential keepers who could be coming in to either battle him for the jersey or oust him out the side. He doesn’t need it and neither does boss Brendan Rodgers as he looks to plot a path back to form and to the summit of the division.

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Hart has made the biggest individual decision of his career – and taken one for the team. He said: “This is something I’ve thought about for a while. There is not right or wrong time, is there? The way this club works at the moment, there’s so much on it, there’s so much heart and soul poured into what we are doing as a football club.

“With the grand scheme of the club and the support base, and the conversations that go on around the goalkeeper position for next season, I just think, with the blessings of the club and the conversations with the club, with Brendan and Stevie Woods, it was important to get the message out.

“It takes one thing off the table that can be speculated over. I’m definitely not going to be there next season, I won’t be available to play football. I want to take that off the table and we can talk about why, and then push forward.”

Hart might calling time on an illustrious 20 plus year career but he’s not interest in hearing the obituaries yet. He has plenty of tales from coming through at Shrewsbury, landing the big move to Man City when there were turning into turbo-charged title winners, the Champions League, the Three Lions stalwart and the tough times that followed during spells at Burnley, Torino and Spurs.

There’s the late rejuvenation at Celtic, the trophies the Treble and three years in the Glasgow mad house. But all of that can wait. Hart insisted there is absolutely no chance his mind will now be wandering off into the sunset before the rest of him joins it in June.

Celtic’s Joe Hart (Image: SNS Group)

Speaking to Celtic TV, he said: “To the people that know me – that really know me – they know that’s not even a possibility. I was cautious of that, so I appreciate the open mindedness of the club and the fans when they see this and understand it. This is not someone who is checking out. This is someone who is just letting them know because they think it’s important.

“I can’t wait to have those conversations. I can’t wait to get into the ifs, buts and maybes, the whys and hows, the ups and downs and how I can pass on my experience for people to hopefully learn from or improve on, and maybe offer me some hindsight.

“The key message is those conversations are for after. This is the last time I’ll be talking about this. All I want to do is focus on the job in hand and representing this amazing club I play for and leaving my heart and soul out on the field.”

No one should doubt Hart’s mental strength anyway. He’s performed under immense pressure his entire career and, ironically, his announcement comes at a time when he’s in sensational form. If Celtic can drag themselves over the line this season to another title, a lot of it will be down to Hart.

He won’t take his eye off the ball now and he said: “Mentally I’m in that one place I like to be. I am in a place of clarity. Obviously I’ve thought about this a lot. There are loads of key factors that have come into it.

“Maybe at some point, do I need to look for something elsewhere, or do I really try to push to stay on longer doing what I am doing? But no, the right time is now. I’ve got the clarity of mind to go to the club and explain my position and they totally understand.

Celtic Goalkeeper Joe Hart with Manager Brendan Rodgers (Image: SNS Group)

“The hardest thing for me was, once I’d made my decision, to explain although I intend on finishing in June, I’m so up for it. I’m still so involved and so committed. Physically I feel great. I feel as good as I possibly can do for my age and what I’ve done physically to my body.

“I’ve been on the bench in professional since I was 15 and every day since I was 16 onwards. I’ve had peaks in terms of energy. At 17, 18, 19, you can’t get enough. At 20-year-old you start to become a player at the highest level. The games and the world changing around me at 20-30 and physically a real peak time in my life.

“From 30 onwards, football has not been necessarily as clean for me from 31-34. Mentally, where was I at? I don’t know. I didn’t feel like I had a place any more.

“Physically I feel in a very good place at the moment. I’ve gone down every avenue I can to keep myself in the best possible shape and position to give my all come game day. Right now I am at that. I feel that come game day I really do peak.

“But I am aware time waits for no man – and I don’t want my body retiring me. That was one of the key factors, thinking I could really smash through the finishing line here.”