"I didn't agree with it" - Joe Hart opens up on relationship with Pep Guardiola before Manchester City exit

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has detailed his relationship with Pep Guardiola prior to leaving the club in 2016.

Speaking on the In the Stiffs Podcast, Hart explained how he was excited to be coached by a manager of the caliber of Guardiola, but soon realised he wasn't in the Spaniard's plans. He said:

"I wanted the opportunity to be coached by one of the best at it. Of course I didn’t know how to do it, why would I know how to do something that I’d never been asked to do or taught to do? I suppose he was right, I couldn’t do it, he couldn’t just drop me into a team to play like he wanted to at that moment in time. I didn’t agree with it, but looking back and even at the time, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I’d love to be here and be a part of it, but if that’s not what you see we need to work out the best way to go.”

He also mentioned that he was grateful for his time at Manchester City and understood why the club allowed him to depart. He said:

“I couldn’t say to him, ‘Are you mad, just watch me go out there and play this exact system’, I didn’t know it, not one of us knew it, but goalkeeper is a very specific position, and he was ahead of his time in making it that position, so the fact he knew he couldn’t just drop me into it that was enough for him. It was taken away from me, but so what? I’m not bigger than anyone and if that’s my path then that’s my path. The people of Manchester City will forever be in my heart, I’ll forever be grateful for that, but the team, the hierarchy, they’re businessmen."

Joe Hart made 342 appearances across all competitions for Manchester City and was part of two Premier League title-winning sides. The Englishman left the club twice on loan to Torino and West Ham under Pep Guardiola before finally joining Burnley on a permanent basis in 2018.

"I knew I had to go" - Hart on finally departing Manchester City

Hart in action for Manchester City

Hart also said that he had trouble leaving Manchester City towards the end of his tenure, due to his high wages. He explained:

"The season had started, and I was on the bench, he’d put Willy Caballero in goal, no disrespect to Willy but it was a move to say to me, ‘You are not playing’. I knew I had to go but stuff kept going wrong, it was done and dusted here then there was a loan fee. I was close to a couple, then I was away with England, it needed to be done.”

“[Clubs had] already planned to do what they needed to do. I had four years left on a big deal, even to take wages on was tough in a structure where things had already been sorted, let alone buy me."