JOE HART insists Celtic will be able to “lean on me” any time he is required in the future.
The 37-year-old much-decorated keeper has no intention of playing on when he hangs up his gloves after the derby Scottish Cup Final at Hampden on May 25.
Hart, who won 75 international caps with England, answered an SOS from Ange Postecoglou when he arrived on a bargain £1million fee from Spurs in August 2021.
The likeable personality played his role in the Parkhead side emerging from the wreckage of a trophyless season and the bitter disappointment of failing to seal 10 in a row to lift the Premiership title and the League Cup.
HAIL HART…the Celtic keeper accepts the acclaim of the fans at Hampden at the weekend.
The shotstopper was at his consistent best last term as the Hoops swept to a world record eighth domestic treble and he is on course for a league and Cup double this time around.
Brendan Rodgers will have a problem replacing the one-time Manchester City netminder, but Hart, according to a report in the Daily Record, said: “I’ll always be available to Celtic if they ever need to lean on me for anything.
“I’ve made the manager and the club aware of that. But coaching a specific team? “That’s not something that I’m looking to do.
“I’ve not taken any coaching badges, that was quite a conscious decision.
“I know that coaching and management is ingrained in a lot of people, but it doesn’t necessarily do it for me.
“I want to help, I want to give back, but there are different ways I can do it.”
THUMB’S UP…Joe Hart intends going out in a blaze of glory in next month’s Scottish Cup Final.
Asked if he intends to go out in a blaze of glory, Hart answered: “I’m going to try. I’m really going to leave it all on the line.
“That’s what I’ve done throughout my career and sometimes it’s worked, sometimes it hasn’t.”
The countdown to the climax of a glittering career will continue with the champions’ visit to Dens Park to face Dundee on Sunday.
Hart will then face Hearts, Rangers, Kilmarnock and St Mirren in the remaining fixtures as Celtic pursue their twelfth crown in 13 years.
Then the goalkeeper will turn his attention to a grand finale against Philippe Clement’s Ibrox outfit in the Scottish Cup showpiece at the national stadium on the iconic date of May 25 before bowing out – hopefully as a winner.
