Sad story of one of the best keepers career going down the drain.
Must really suck for him. Took a severe pay cut to continue to playing and his career is on a steed downhill trend while being a goalkeeper is usually the longest serving career you can do on the field. All retire at very old ages. Petr Cech 36yrs, Buffon 40yrs, Roman Weidenfeller 40yrs, Van Der Sar retired at 40, iker casillas still playing at 37
I would say somehow Pep was his undoing…Bringing in another useless keeper in Bravo - only because he was a Catalan - without giving Hart a chance to fight for his position…
Joe Hart had already been on a steep decline. I actually think it was the right move, though Bravo did not work out. Should have brought an experienced A lister.
Hart was sent on loan to Torino after Pep arrived where he performed extremely badly. Even at West Ham he could not retain his position as a first choice keeper and went down to third choice.
But that is Pep’s style. He does not really bend over for anyone. On his first season at Barcelona he let go of Ronaldinho, Samuel Etoo and Deco.
Etoo couldn’t get a buyer so they used him for another season when he was the runners p for the pichichi and still Pep let him go. It all worked out in the end either way. Didn’t it?
Keepers are an essential part of Pep’s system. He likes keepers who are good with the ball at their feet, sweeper keepers. And Bravo is Chilean not Catalan.
Pep’s only managed three top-tier teams (so far). At Barca valdes was already a sweeper keeper. Bayern, Neuer alikuwa anacheza kama outfield player. At Mancity, Hart was a great shot stopper but poor in sweeping up the ball so he had to go. Caballero was too error prone so in came Ederson. Point is the changes were necessisated by the system not that they were bad keepers.
Pep shattered Joe Hart’s confidence, he knew he wasnt his type of goalie, he should have sold him with his confidence intact not with a damaged esteem.