'I'm just a guy who loves to play football': Joe Hart enjoying his time at Celtic

Joe Hart is loving life at Celtic as he prepares for Monday night’s Scottish Cup tie against Dundee United at Tannadice

The 34-year-old former Manchester City and Burnley goalkeeper has been enjoying himself at the Parkhead club since signing from Tottenham last summer.

Hart, who has won 75 caps for England, has already got a League Cup winners’ medal following a 2-1 win over Hibernian in the final at Hampden Park in December and has helped the Hoops go three points clear of Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the cinch Premiership.

“I just love playing football,” he said. “I love being involved in competitions at the latter end and love being part of this group that I’m part of right now.

“And I include the fans in that group because away games are a lot of fun at this club, as well as home games.

“But they’re only fun when we perform and I’d say the majority of the time we’ve really shown up this year even in games that we haven’t won, I think we’ve had strong showings.

“So that consistency is something that I’m enjoying being a part of, and I’m hoping to continue because deep, deep down at the bottom of it, I’m just a guy who loves to play football.

“I would play it in front of nobody. So the fact that we get the opportunity to do it when there’s a lot on the line, under lights with a good atmosphere, a tough team, it’s going to be a good night hopefully.”

Hart would love to finish off the season with another cup final win at Hampden Park but stressed that there is a lot of work to be done before then.

He said: “I’m well aware there’s eight teams with that dream, eight teams with exactly the same dream as us.

“So there’s nothing that’s going to be given to us and if we are to be there on that final day, it’ll be down to focusing on each game and taking them each as they come and working hard.”

Celtic have won two and drawn once against United this season including a 3-0 victory at Tannadice in December but Hart is expecting a testing night on Tayside.

He said: “Quarter-final of any cup, you’re getting to the real business end.

“I’ve only been there once before, and we had to play really, really well, to get the result that we got.

“They’ve proved a tough test in the home games as well. So it’s going to be a difficult night, but something that we’re looking forward to.”