The Scottish champions slumped to a 3-0 Europa League defeat to Roma in Glasgow
Former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart
Gutted Joe Hart admits he is heartbroken at Celtic’s current state as Parkhead lost it’s “magic” in the Europa League defeat to Roma. New boss Wilfried Nancy made history as the first Hoops’ manager to lose back-to-back games.
But after the dismal Europa League, Hart had plenty of blame to dish out as he refused to throw all the blame on the Frenchman’s shift in style. The Italian giants swatted the Scottish aside as they strolled to a 3-0 demolition job.
The struggle was met with a muted Celtic response – and Hart admits the disconnect is painful to watch. He told TNT Sports: “It breaks my heart to see it. I know how special these nights were, and how special they can be.
“Listen, I have lost my fair share of games on European nights, but the intensity was always there. I always felt like the goalkeeper had a good game, or we had a right good go and just ran out of steam after 60 or 70 minutes.
“The atmosphere isn’t there, and the players don’t feel like they are playing on the edge of their abilities – which is what this place brings, it brings magic to you. It’s just not there at the moment, you can feel it.”
Discussing the anger from the Parkhead diehards, he said: “They are intelligent people. It’s an intelligent football club. The club have got to address this. They have got to unite the support. The players, the management.”
Pressed on the chaotic AGM and the surprise of Brendan Rodgers, the former Hoops’ No. 1 said: “It feels like a soap opera. They have had so much success, it’s so financially stable – they are set up for success.
Celtic players look dejected after going 1-0 down
“But, it just hasn’t played out that way right from the defeat in the cup final – it was an excellent season, going so far in the Champions League, winning the league so comfortably, and they have just not addressed the problems.
“The gap has just widened. This is such a special football club, but it’s only a special football club when it’s united.
“Ultimately everyone wants to do well for this football club, at the moment it’s like a relationship drifting further and further apart. It doesn’t have to be like this. It comes right from the top. You can’t rest on your previous success.”
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