ANGE Postecgolou has tipped Joe Hart to remain Celtic’s first choice keeper for years to come after his summer signing’s standout display against Rangers on Sunday.
Hart ensured Postecoglou’s side drew 1-1 with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team at Parkhead and remained six points clear of the defending champions in the cinch Premiership.
The former England internationalist denied Scott Arfield with a brilliant reaction save in the second-half when the Ibrox club were pushing hard for a late winner.
The Celtic manager feels the ex-Manchester City player has been instrumental to the success which the Glasgow club have enjoyed during the 2021/22 campaign.
And he predicted the 75-times capped 35-year-old, a £1m acquisition from Spurs back in August, can continue to perform at a high level for the foreseeable future.
“Joe’s still young for a goalkeeper,” the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year said. “I just felt he’s still got a bit to prove. He’s said himself he needed a bit of love and I knew he’d get it at this football club.
“I knew the supporters would embrace him and he’d love it here with the group we were putting together. There’s no reason he can’t keep it going for a lot longer.”
Postecoglou, whose men could wrap up the Scottish title this weekend, revealed that he had signed Hart for Celtic last year as much for his presence and personality off the park as his playing ability on it.
“That was one of the reasons we brought him in,” he said. “We identified pretty early we’d lost some experience in the group and we wanted to bring some experience in to the team.
“I thought Joe was a top quality goalkeeper. But the background we did on him showed to me is a first class person and a real leader in the dressing room.
“He’s been fantastic this year. To be fair, we haven’t needed him a lot as a goalkeeper, but on Sunday we did. He stood up and that’s why he’s a top keeper. Irrespective of his influence on games, his influence around the dressing room has been important.”
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