Stephen Welsh Explains How Joe Hart Preserves Unwavering Celtic Traditions

In a poignant moment for both players and fans, Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart announced at the end of last month that he would be retiring from football come the end of the season.

Centre-half Stephen Welsh admitted how the Hoops’ dressing room was understandably gutted when such news surfaced.

Hart will be a significant loss for the Celts next season. Whoever takes the gloves from the veteran must be an elite ‘keeper, but it will be difficult to replace the veteran’s off-the-pitch values.

Given his experience in the game and what he has achieved throughout his lengthy and prestigious career, Hart’s experience and leadership are invaluable to Brendan Rodgers’ dressing room.

The gaffer has an arduous job on his hands replacing the former Man City stopper, and Welsh has revealed how Hart helps uphold the impeccable standards at the club. “He can get after us as well”, he told RecordSport.

“If we’re slacking off a wee bit, he’s the first person to get us up for it and he’s the first person to praise you for something, too. He’s been great for us.”

The 36-year-old’s spell in Glasgow has been decked in silverware. Hart won five trophies – including a treble – in his first two years with Celtic.

Going into the current campaign’s climax, the ex-England number one will want to go out on a high and end his playing career in the right manner.

Celtic injury latest after international break as key players close in on returns

1. Out: Maik Nawrocki

The defender remains out after suffering another injury setback. Nawrocki is currently “receiving intensive treatment” on a hamstring injury with a return date yet to be specified

2. Out: Luis Palma

Palma did not leave on international duty and is expected to be out for one month after struggling with “muscle discomfort in his right leg”

3. Doubt: Callum McGregor

As he recovers from an Achilles injury, Rodgers said the club “have to assess that and see where he is at over the next 24 hours”

4. Doubt: Liam Scales

Like Hatate, reports claim the club are hoping to see Scales back in time to face Livingston after recently picking up a knock

5. Doubt: Reo Hatate

Hatate is back in training and has been “progressing well” according to Rodgers. Celtic are hoping that if all goes to plan, he will be able to feature on Sunday. But of course, nothing is set in stone until match-day

‘I’ve been told’: Mark Guidi shares a summer transfer update that will excite the Celtic fans

Celtic’s work in the transfer market has really frustrated the supporters over the past two seasons.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been huge success stories with the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Matt O’Riley, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate.

But for every one of those players, Celtic always seem to find an Oliver Abildgaard, Nat Phillips, Yosuke Ideguchi and Hyeokkyu Kwon.

And that’s because of the market Celtic shop in and their player trading model. Not spending over £3m for a player is great in some aspects and can pay off.

But as we have seen not just this season but also under Ange Postecoglou, the quality isn’t the same as spending £6m on a Cameron Carter-Vickers or Jota.

But all that is set to change this summer after what journalist, Mark Guidi, has been told.

Celtic set to spend this summer

Speaking last night on Go Radio, Guidi was commenting on Brendan Rodgers needing to replace Joe Hart in the summer and whilst he said there is still value at the lower end of the transfer market scale, the journalist said he’s heard that Celtic are about to move into the £6m-£7m player market this summer.

Guidi said [The Go Radio Football Show], “I’ve said many times. I said it last season, if Celtic can find a Jack Butland scenario or another Joe Hart scenario where it’s a free transfer or a £1m quid transfer fee and then a nice fat contract, then go for it.

“But see if you need to spend £6m-£7m then go and do it. And I’ve been told that Celtic are back in that market.

“The days of this £3m almost like a ceiling, has been wiped out. If players become available at £6m-£7m then Celtic are very much back in the market at that level.

“And that’s the way it should be, particularly for a goalkeeper.”

If this is accurate then the Celtic fans will be delighted. For too long we have watched project players come to the club and, more often than not, fail or get embarrassed in the Champions League.

To breed success, proper investment is required in the first team and it seems that the quality Rodgers has been craving all season long, could be about to be added in the summer. Let’s face it, Celtic have the money to do it.

Let’s hope it’s not to the detriment of this season as poor recruitment has already cost us the League Cup. It would be embarrassing if it cost us the league and Scottish Cup and Celtic are trophyless at the end of this campaign.

‘Difference-maker’: Gerry Creaney says Celtic have an ‘impressive’ player Rangers will be wary of at Ibrox

As the season draws to its exciting climax, the Celtic supporters will be looking forward to the return of the domestic after this international break.

Brendan Rodgers seems to have his team firing in almost all departments at this crucial stage of the title run-in with many of his Celtic players looking like they are getting back to their best after a season where some of our top guns looked really off the pace.

And it’s that return to form that Gerry Creaney believes that Rangers will be very wary of Celtic’s trip to Ibrox next month.

Creaney says Rangers will be ‘looking out’ for Kyogo

No one can deny that Kyogo has struggled to find that sparkling form that crowned him Celtic’s Player of the Season last year but now, Creaney believes that the Japan international could be the ‘difference-maker’ for the fight for the Scottish Premiership.

Creaney said [The Sunday Post print edition page 68], “He could be the difference-maker, but it might not just be through goals. He’s so impressive to watch.

“That turn of speed, that sharpness aligned to what he’s trying to achieve – score goals.

“He’s diminutive but strong. I believe he’s still got players around him with the ability to slip balls through that he’s quick and sharp enough to get on.

“You see different facets and traits coming out of people when they’re under a bit more pressure.

“That’s something, I’m sure, Celtic players will be more than able to stand up to.

“And with Kyogo, there’s no doubt Rangers will be looking out for him as the danger man.”

Kyogo has terrorised Rangers

The Celtic striker took a bit of time to find his groove against our Glasgow rivals but over the past two seasons, Kyogo has absolutely terrorised Rangers.

In eleven appearances against the Ibrox club, the 29-year-old has won six, drawn two and lost three whilst contributing seven goals. [Transfermarkt]

In his first season, Kyogo missed two derbies due to a hamstring injury but it was in the treble-winning season 2022/23 that the Celtic striker put the Ibrox club to the sword.

In the 2-2 New Year derby Kyogo scored a vital late equaliser to fortify Celtic’s position at the top of the league.

In the following clash at Celtic Park, the Bhoys ran out 3-2 victors with a Kyogo double proving crucial in a win that virtually wrapped up the title.

The Japanese also put Rangers to the sword in the League Cup final with another double as Ange Postecoglou successfully defended the first trophy he won as the Celtic manager.

And this season, Kyogo scored the winner in the 1-0 Ibrox win and the 2-1 victory at Celtic Park.

I would say Rangers are going to be a little bit more than wary of Kyogo. I believe they will be fearing him the closer the April derby comes.

Brian Dempsey to speak out on Fergus McCann’s Celtic takeover

Brian Dempsey has joined the cast list at The Celtic Exchange to share his views on the 30th anniversary of Fergus McCann’s takeover of Celtic.

Then in his forties, the Glasgow based property developer had been appointed to the Celtic board in 1990 but when it came to the AGM to ratify his appointment Michael Kelly and Chris White ensured that his place wasn’t confirmed.

As Celtic’s fortunes nose-dived on the park with debt creeping dangerously high others started to look at ways to replace the Kelly and White dynasty that had been in control of Celtic since the early days of the century.

The charismatic Dempsey formed an alliance with McCann, most of the media commentary came from Dempsey who stood on the steps of Celtic Park to declare that the rebels had won.

The alliance between the two men never survived very long, both have different versions of events with Dempsey fairly critical of some of the decisions taken by McCann as he forged a new business model with 51% of the club shares.

During international week the content from The Celtic Exchange has been priceless. A traditional documentary would only have skimmed the surface but with six, so far, hour long interviews most of the main characters have been able to share their stories, recollections and reflections leaving the viewer with a fuller picture of the most turbulent times in Celtic’s history.