The arrival of a new manager in Manchester has brought a sudden end to the England goalkeeper’s stay at the Etihad Stadium, as he now looks to resurrect his career with Il Toro
Charles Joseph John Hart, better known simply as Jose Hart, has filled the void left from the transfer sagas of both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and then Paul Pogba. The British media have needed a focus after no clear transfer fiasco seemed to present itself in the final days of the transfer window, so the rift between Hart and new Manchester City boss Josep Guardiola was enough to make the headlines.
Hart began his career with Shrewsbury Town, a club that has continued to show an eye for goalkeeping talent. Even today, Callum Burton has represented England at youth level and hopes to emulate Hart in the future. After three years with Shrewsbury, where he chalked up over 50 appearances in League 2, a highly-anticipated switch to Manchester City followed.
In the decade he spent with the Citizens he encountered a number of goalkeepers who undoubtedly had an influence on his development. Long-term servicemen Nicky Weaver, Swedish international Andreas Isaksson and a healthy rivalry with Casper Schmeichel all marked his development at Manchester City. Loan moves to Tranmere Rovers and Blackpool proved uneventful, but his final period away from the club was integral to his development, making 41 appearances in all competitions for Birmingham City.
Competition with Irish goalkeeper Shay Given may have forced Hart out on loan to Birmingham, but he returned as the first choice under new boss Roberto Mancini. He joined the England squad for their 2010 World Cup selection and he finished his first full season as Manchester City number one with 18 clean sheets in the Premier League. Two league titles and three domestic trophies later, Hart is two matches shy of 350 appearances for the Citizens.
However, his almost romantic attachment to Manchester City has been destroyed by one man: Pep Guardiola. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach was unconvinced by Hart, believing he needed to be more proficient with the ball at his feet.
The arrival of Claudio Bravo from Barcelona condemned the fate of the England international, who made the decision to leave rather than rot on the bench. Sunderland, Everton and Liverpool all appeared interested, but the 29-year-old was eager to move abroad.
Initial reports of a switch to Torino seemed misplaced. Hart has no strong links to Italy other than his wedding which took place in Florence. One rumoured influence was the presence of Attilio Lombardo, who was the co-assistant manager at Manchester City, now the right-hand man of Torino coach Sinisa Mihajlovic. Hart will find himself in good company in Turin as Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon has been quick to praise the Englishman in the past, adding an extra spice to the notorious Derby della Mole.
The announcement of his season-long loan to Torino brings to an end a nightmarish period for Hart, who feared for his place as England No.1. Certainly, since the elimination of England by Iceland in the European Championships, the true quality of Hart has been brought into question. The concrete position of Hart as England goalkeeper had rarely been debated up to this point, his status at Manchester City perhaps adding to this.
However, the continued form of Fraser Forster at Southampton and Jack Butland at Stoke City has meant the goalkeeping department has needed revisiting for England. Certainly, as far as his starting spot at Torino is concerned, the only viable competition is current starter Daniele Padelli. The 30-year-old has rarely inspired confidence for the Granata and has already conceded four goals in two Serie A games, but fingers have been pointed at the ageing defence in front of Padelli.
Communication will be key for Hart at Torino so a basic grasp of Italian will be important, particularly if he intends to bark orders as he did so naturally for Manchester City. Remarkably, he becomes the first English goalkeeper to play in Serie A since the 1929-30 season, but he isn’t alone in thinking he can revitalise his career on the peninsula. Former Manchester City teammate Micah Richards and retired England international Ashley Cole are others to have taken the plunge into Italian football, though Hart will be hoping to see more success than his compatriots.
