Joe Hart to retire at the end of 2023-24 season

We should be playing Celtic this summer at The Etihad or Parkhead as a Joe Hart testimonial game. What an occasion and useful pre season game that would be.
Instead we are playing them in the USA!
It's still a game between the two clubs, maybe either us or them would be up for flying him out to Carolina with the squad, and putting on a little tribute at half time or after the game for him. I'd rather it was us, but more likely to come from them, either way it would be a fitting send-off.

I also hope Brenda puts him in his coaching staff.

BR is obviously open to giving ex-players roles, he did the same with Kolo and Shaun Maloney. JH would be an asset for them, and if he grows in the role could go on to have a great coaching career elsewhere. I don't think we would see him take a role back at City so long as the Catalans are in the boardroom, but he could find his fit elsewhere at a similar level, and I'd be happy for him if he did. He has leadership skills and presence. I half wonder if a role has already been promised and that's why he announced his retirement so early into the season, and at this stage of his career (like others have said, he could have gone on for a few more years if he wanted).
 
Hart was a superb goalkeeper. I was disappointed when he went out on loan to Birmingham for Shay Given as I was concerned he'd never come back. He was excellent at Birmingham and should have been England's goalkeeper instead of Rob Green at the 2010 World Cup. Always remember the Barcelona game where Messi couldn't seem to comprehend how hard it was to score past him.

Unfortunately, as is always the case, after a poor Euros by his standards that is what he is remembered for. De Gea was far worse for Spain at that tournament by the way, but the British press understandably focused on Joe. Don't think Pep handled him too well and replacing him with Bravo (who was fucking awful) seemed to completely shatter his confidence and it never really recovered.

Love Joe and will always be a legend in my eyes. Wish him all the best.
You can see why Pep decided he wasn’t right -
Despite being one of very best goalkeepers (probably no 1 in my view) his distribution was a weak point and certainly not capable of what city’s keepers since have been capable of
 
Anyone who witnessed Barca away and Dortmund at home knows Joe is a legend -
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better goal keeping performance than those two games
I wouldn't base whether someone is (or isn't) a legend based on 2 games. He was a very good player for us as I said but I still wouldn't class him as a legend.
 
Watched the FA Cup highlights from the semi against the rags in 2011 the other day. Outstanding save from Berbatov. Decent save from a deflected free-kick.

He was a top drawer goalkeeper and should have got well over 100 England caps.
 
I wouldn't base whether someone is (or isn't) a legend based on 2 games. He was a very good player for us as I said but I still wouldn't class him as a legend.
Edersen aside - Can you name a better city goalkeeper since Trauttman ? I’d say Joe is a better keeper than Edersen although potentially not a better player

Joe would feature in my legends side of the past 50 years
 
Edersen aside - Can you name a better city goalkeeper since Trauttman ? I’d say Joe is a better keeper than Edersen although potentially not a better player

Joe would feature in my legends side of the past 50 years
Joe Corrigan (although I would add Joe Hart was a great keeper for us and I don’t think he was given a proper opportunity to prove he could play “Pep’s way”
 
Edersen aside - Can you name a better city goalkeeper since Trauttman ? I’d say Joe is a better keeper than Edersen although potentially not a better player

Joe would feature in my legends side of the past 50 years
Corrigan. He had a ropey first spell in the first team, eventually being replaced by Keith MacRae. But when he got back in the side (around 1975, IIRC), he was brilliant. He should have won many more England caps than he did; he was unlucky to be around at the same time as Shilton and Clemence.
 
You can see why Pep decided he wasn’t right -
Despite being one of very best goalkeepers (probably no 1 in my view) his distribution was a weak point and certainly not capable of what city’s keepers since have been capable of
That’s Pep’s genius.

At the time I was one of the Luddites furious that a City hero who’d helped bring us success we hadn’t seen for forty odd years was being ran out of the club to make way for some 2nd rate Spanish keeper who was past his best. I and most others couldn’t see how the game was about to change
 

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