JOE HART has gone into overdrive as he prepares for yet another campaign as a new season looms into view.
The 36-year-old 75 times-capped England international keeper has seen it all before at Manchester City and his stops at Shrewsbury, Burnley and Spurs while he experienced it, too, in Italy during a loan season at Torino in 2016/17.
Hart has had two trophy-laden years at the champions since his £1million switch in August 2021 on his way to two Premiership titles, two League Cips and a Scottish Cup.
HEAD BHOY…Joe Hart displays his skills under the watchful gaze of goalkeeper coach Stevie Woods.
However, the veteran netminder accepts that is all in the past as he looks forward to another campaign at hoem and in Europe.
Hart, who is currently being put through his paces at the club’s pre-season training camp in Portugal, said: “Football’s mad because it doesn’t matter what’s gone before – you start again and you go again with new goals, new competitions.
“There’s so much to play for, but you’ve got to earn it and camps like this are where it starts.
“I’ve obviously got the privilege of experience, knowing that you haven’t got to be peaking right now, you’ve got to be building and I’m just trying to get better every day, and that’s what we’re doing.
“Everybody’s starting to get up to speed, especially the boys who came back a bit later. There’s a good competitiveness in training and it is very enjoyable.”
Hart, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “Winning’s got to be installed in you. That’s in all of us, and certainly in the manager, and why would you not want to win?
LOOK, NO HANDS…Joe Hart goes through a training routine with coach Stevie Woods and Benji Siegrist. Images courtesy Celtic TV.
“We’re competing against each other, we’re trying to earn each other’s respect, we’re trying to build under the new manager – there’s so much up for grabs and so much to play for, and every training session is important.
“It was good, it was tough – it’s warm out here and the lads put a good shift in.”
Rodgers’ side will continue their preparations next week in Japan, where they face two games against Yokohama F. Marinos and Gamba Osaka.
Hart added: “It’s going to be an interesting trip. We’ve got time zones and stuff to contend with, but we’re going to try and represent Celtic as best as we can, in a new country for myself.
“Obviously, a few of the boys are going to going home, so they’re going to want to make a good impression, but, ultimately, we’re pushing and we’re trying to build for that first weekend in August.”
