ARTICLE: Spurs take Hart

[ClaretTony]

Signing confirmed

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/spurs-take-hart

[dermotdermot]

Astonishing!

[Woodleyclaret]

Perhaps now we can draw a line under Joe Hart and mention him no more

[ewanrob]

Perhaps now we can draw a line under Joe Hart and mention him no more

Good luck to him, you would think this is his last chance in PL.

[claretgoss]

Good move for both him and Spurs. Hope it goes well for the fella.

[Vino blanco]

Good luck to him, any one who pulls on the Burnley colours deserves our best wishes when they leave. I thought he was a poor signing when came, but he was a Burnley player, so ll the best to him.

[ClaretTony]

Hardest position in a squad when you are not in the team. He's had to sit through the last 57 Premier League games, well not quite, he wasn't here for the last nine. Tom wanted to go when he wasn't going to be a regular and you can see why Hart wanted to move. I just find it surprising he's happily gone to another club on another two years when he's not likely to be first choice, but good luck to him.

[claretgoss]

Yeah, even though Lloris is club captain, Hart will most likely play in all the cup and Europa games, so he's still likely to be more involved on the pitch than he was in the last 18 months with us

[ClaretTony]

Yeah, even though Lloris is club captain, Hart will most likely play in all the cup and Europa games, so he's still likely to be more involved on the pitch than he was in the last 18 months with us

Do you think he'll be second choice ahead of Gazzaniga?

[claretgoss]

Do you think he'll be second choice ahead of Gazzaniga?

I'd imagine so yeah. Vorm has gone but they have Alfie Whiteman who I believe they're quite high on, so I think it's more them not being content on Gazzaniga as back up after his enforced run last year rather than wanting Hart as the new 3rd choice.

[ksrclaret]

Joe Hart strikes me as more of a Mourinho type player than Gazzaniga who I seem to remember him calling out for a few errors.

[ClaretTony]

I think Gazzaniga was at Gillingham when we tried to sign him but then he moved to Southampton before Pochettino took him with him to Spurs

[ksrclaret]

I think Gazzaniga was at Gillingham when we tried to sign him but then he moved to Southampton before Pochettino took him with him to Spurs

Was that with Eddie Howe? I vaguely remember the link.

Just looked him up and I'm surprised to read he's 28 now - hasn't played many games though.

[ClaretTony]

Was that with Eddie Howe? I vaguely remember the link.

Just looked him up and I'm surprised to read he's 28 now - hasn't played many games though.

Was 2011 I think with Eddie Howe. I don't think it made the press but he was trying to get Brian Jensen to move to Gillingham apparently at the time in swap deal.

[ksrclaret]

Was 2011 I think with Eddie Howe. I don't think it made the press but he was trying to get Brian Jensen to move to Gillingham apparently at the time in swap deal.

Haha - a pity Howe wasn't successful in engineering that move.

[Cirrus_Minor]

I am surprised that Spurs wanted him but not surprised he signed. He is a capable goalkeeper but seems to struggle with confidence and commanding his area. Not sure what the Spurs fans will make of this.

But good luck to the man.

[ClaretTony]

Not sure what the Spurs fans will make of this.

I don't think the situation for him will be anything like two years ago when he came here. I can't see him starting every Premier League game in the first half of the season for Spurs as the team struggles with goals flying in far too often.

[Wellsy1882]

Sods law.
Lloris will get injured. Hel play

[jojomk1]

I just find it surprising he's happily gone to another club on another two years when he's not likely to be first choice, but good luck to him.

Picking up his wage packet each month might just help any personal despair
Will earn more in those two years than most people will earn in a lifetime
That is certainly good luck for him

[kaptin1]

I remember being surprised and quite excited when we signed Hart, given his history as a top level keeper. First half of the season he seemed to be consistently one of our better performers and pulled of numerous good saves, but we were still shipping goals for fun. Looking back, I think he had a tendency to stay rooted to his line which meant he was in position to attempt saves but also meant he didn’t command his area. That seemed to result in an uncertain back four, for whom he provided little communication, and it was only when a Heaton came in and started organising them that things improved. He had his chance at Burnley but, unfortunately, found himself up against two better keepers. I also find it very strange that he has chosen to go to another club where he is unlikely to be first choice again, given all he has said about wanting to play. Just shows that the bright lights of a top six side and another big pay packet clearly take priority. His choice though and I wish him well (other than if and when he faces us).

[tiger76]

Surprised Jose's signed him, but I suppose from Tottenham's POV he's an experienced back-up if Lloris is injured, and although £35k a week sounds a lot for a 2nd/3rd choice keeper, by PL standards that's not a huge salary, especially when he was available on a free transfer, I've nothing against Hart personally, but his BFC career didn't work out as both he and indeed we would have desired, and in hindsight he was a costly mistake, who was well past his prime when we took him on.

[elwaclaret]

Think it makes sense, European coaches are not after someone to command the area, they want shot stoppers....

[FactualFrank]

Once upon a time I was falling in love,
But now I'm only falling apart,
And there's nothing I can do,

hart.jpg (67.67 KiB) Viewed 1796 times

[Paul Waine]

Do you think he'll be second choice ahead of Gazzaniga?

Big report in The Times, today: Why Spurs have given a lifeline to outcast Joe Hart

Joe Hart will be No.2 keeper. Gazzaniga will be sold. JH gets Europa League and other cups.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/3c95 ... 17367a4600

Good luck, Joe Hart.

UTC

[Clarets4me]

It's a " Dear Diary " moment .... the " Times " article reveals that Joe Hart has taken a £15,000 a week pay cut to join Tottenham Hotspur, compared to what he was earning at Burnley ..... Never in all my days did I think I'd read that ...

[ClaretTony]

Big report in The Times, today: Why Spurs have given a lifeline to outcast Joe Hart

Joe Hart will be No.2 keeper. Gazzaniga will be sold. JH gets Europa League and other cups.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/3c95 ... 17367a4600

Good luck, Joe Hart.

UTC

Interesting, wasn’t expecting Gazzaniga to be going.

[ClaretTony]

It's a " Dear Diary " moment .... the " Times " article reveals that Joe Hart has taken a £15,000 a week pay cut to join Tottenham Hotspur, compared to what he was earning at Burnley ..... Never in all my days did I think I'd read that ...

Don’t know whether it was the case or not but weren’t there suggestions that Man City were paying a substantial part of his wage whilst he was at Burnley?

[tim_noone]

Good on Joe Hart. Spurs or Burnley? No contest.

[Burnleyareback2]

Good luck Joe.

[Long Time Lurker]

I think it might be down to a combination of factors.

Staying in the EPL was probably high on Harts wish list, but with his wages, expectation of playing time and the money issues surrounding Covid offers will have been thin on the ground for him.

Ticking off all of those boxes won't have been easy and good money with a club like Spurs and a better shot at playing time that he could probably expect with us was obviously the best his agent could get for him.

I think that his agent did well and it is a good move.

He was a weird signing for us, given the financial cost and the fact that Lindegaard did fairly well in the couple of matches that he played. I would have been happy with him holding the fort until Heaton returned. I think we just got a bit star dazzled with the idea of signing Hart and wanting to do give ourselves the best chance in our European campaign.

Three England keepers was an embarrassment of riches for a club like us, when you consider their high wages and the problem of them all wanting to play. No qualms with how Hart appeared to conduct himself while he was with us and his desire to put in a good showing. I think he did okay, but our defence did seem uncomfortable playing in front of him for awhile.

I wish him all the best at Spurs, tried his best for us and did nothing wrong.

My bigger concern is the overall decrease in the apparent quality of our keeper roster. We have gone from having three England Keepers to the number one England keeper, BPF ( who was struggling in the Championship ) and Will Norris ( who struggled to establish himself in League One with Ipswich last season ).

I was expecting us to sign up a new number two keeper of proven top level quality in this window. Adding Norris, a player we looked at three years ago when we where in the market for a new number three surprised me. Given our new statistical leaning, the fact that we trawled League One and picked him out over somebody like Alex Bass was also interesting.

Unless Billy Mercer performs miracles in terms of developing BPF and Norris ( which isn't out of the question ) we have gone from a position of strength to a position of weakness. I think we could be in trouble if anything happens to Pope over the course of the upcoming season. Adding Hart was an expensive gamble of sorts, but plugging the gaps in our keeper roster with " on the cheap " signings could prove to be even more costly.

Cutting corners in terms of keeper quality is never a good thing. More worrying to myself are the generously long contracts we have given to BPF and Norris, it's like we are building a mid table Championship calibre team for the future.

I firmly believe in the ability of Mercer to identify and develop keepers. On that basis I fully expect to proved wrong in my assessment of a chasm between the quality of Pope and our other two, but signing Morris has tested my faith quite a bit.

[ClaretTony]

My bigger concern is the overall decrease in the apparent quality of our keeper roster. We have gone from having three England Keepers to the number one England keeper, BPF ( who was struggling in the Championship ) and Will Norris ( who struggled to establish himself in League One with Ipswich last season ).

I was expecting us to sign up a new number two keeper of proven top level quality in this window. Adding Norris, a player we looked at three years ago when we where in the market for a new number three surprised me. Given our new statistical leaning, the fact that we trawled League One and picked him out over somebody like Alex Bass was also interesting.

Unless Billy Mercer performs miracles in terms of developing BPF and Norris ( which isn't out of the question ) we have gone from a position of strength to a position of weakness. I think we could be in trouble if anything happens to Pope over the course of the upcoming season. Adding Hart was an expensive gamble of sorts, but plugging the gaps in our keeper roster with " on the cheap " signings could prove to be even more costly.

Cutting corners in terms of keeper quality is never a good thing. More worrying to myself are the generously long contracts we have given to BPF and Norris, it's like we are building a mid table Championship calibre team for the future.

I firmly believe in the ability of Mercer to identify and develop keepers. On that basis I fully expect to proved wrong in my assessment of a chasm between the quality of Pope and our other two, but signing Morris has tested my faith quite a bit.

BPF is still younger than Pope was when we signed him. Pope had limited experience and was only in the Charlton team because the first team goalkeeper had spoken out against the owner.

Billy Mercer saw enough to want to bring him in back in 2016 and it’s proved to be a damn good decision. He must have had similar belief in BPF so there is no reason to question him on that signing. Billy also said he wanted to sign Norris three years ago but at the time there was no vacancy.

Overall I’m happy with our goalkeeper options.

[Paul Waine]

Don’t know whether it was the case or not but weren’t there suggestions that Man City were paying a substantial part of his wage whilst he was at Burnley?

Pretty sure that was only his first season, when his City contract still had a year to run. Wages made up to around £100k, which is what his City contract had been.

We could look at signing Joe Hart as an ambitious move that didn't work out. But, that is only if we look at Joe Hart on his own. If we look at having 3 England keepers on Burnley's books at one time and we've now let 2 of them go while the youngest and best of the 3 is still with us and we are soon to start another Premier League season it's worked out perfectly.

UTC

[BenWickes]

My bigger concern is the overall decrease in the apparent quality of our keeper roster. We have gone from having three England Keepers to the number one England keeper, BPF ( who was struggling in the Championship ) and Will Norris ( who struggled to establish himself in League One with Ipswich last season ).

I was expecting us to sign up a new number two keeper of proven top level quality in this window. Adding Norris, a player we looked at three years ago when we where in the market for a new number three surprised me. Given our new statistical leaning, the fact that we trawled League One and picked him out over somebody like Alex Bass was also interesting.

Unless Billy Mercer performs miracles in terms of developing BPF and Norris ( which isn't out of the question ) we have gone from a position of strength to a position of weakness. I think we could be in trouble if anything happens to Pope over the course of the upcoming season. Adding Hart was an expensive gamble of sorts, but plugging the gaps in our keeper roster with " on the cheap " signings could prove to be even more costly.

Cutting corners in terms of keeper quality is never a good thing. More worrying to myself are the generously long contracts we have given to BPF and Norris, it's like we are building a mid table Championship calibre team for the future.

I firmly believe in the ability of Mercer to identify and develop keepers. On that basis I fully expect to proved wrong in my assessment of a chasm between the quality of Pope and our other two, but signing Morris has tested my faith quite a bit.

Keeping three keepers of the quality of Pope, Heaton and Hart happy was never going to last. Bearing in mind neither Pope nor Heaton were going anywhere fast but league one when we signed them. Both went on to play for England with us.
Mercer knows a quality keeper when he sees one. He's proven that and he's improved them. I have no problem at all with Norris and BPF as back up. They'll both be eager for a chance for a crack at Pope's position and for those who do doubt. Remember when Heaton got injured and Pope was given his opportunity? We probably all thought, wrongly of course; 'Uh oh! Keeper coming on who got relegated with Charlton'. Went on to play a blinder and has established himself as our number one.
I totally have faith in Mercer and his team in improving them.