Former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has delivered a startlingly honest admission about his feelings towards Pep Guardiola, confessing he once wanted to "rip his head off" over the manner of his brutal Etihad Stadium exit.
The Painful End of an Era
Hart, a cornerstone of City's early modern success, saw his world turned upside down in 2016 following Guardiola's appointment. The new manager's first major power move was to ruthlessly drop the England international, who had been instrumental in securing two Premier League titles for the club.
Speaking candidly on That Peter Crouch Podcast, Hart revealed he remains torn by the experience. "You flip between the two," he said when asked about lingering resentment. "I've got someone who understands and who has been in the game, but there's also the maniac in me. Like, of course, I wanted to rip his head off and he knows that."
A Goalkeeping Revolution Under Pep
The writing was on the wall for Hart when Guardiola's summer arrival was announced in February 2016, while Manuel Pellegrini was still in charge. Guardiola, renowned for his philosophy of playing out from the back with keepers like Victor Valdes and Manuel Neuer, made an immediate change.
For his first Premier League match in charge, Guardiola selected Willy Caballero. He then swiftly signed Barcelona's Claudio Bravo as his new number one, effectively ending Hart's City career. The keeper was shipped out on loan to Torino that same summer, followed by a stint at West Ham United, before leaving permanently in 2018.
Reflecting on Guardiola's decision-making process, Hart offered a pragmatic view. "Was I capable of it? I don't know, because I'd never been asked to play like that," he explained. "Now I've got my hindsight head on, I think he's thought, 'He's a good goalie. Have I got the time to teach him? Or I've also got the war chest to go and get someone who I know can do what I want.'"
Moving On Without Bitterness
Despite the raw emotion, Hart, who made 348 appearances for City and enjoyed a career revival with Celtic before retiring last year, holds no lasting bitterness towards the club itself. He stressed that the painful episode does not define his relationship with the Citizens.
"Everyone knew that I was frustrated and I was hurt and I was angry. But, you know, life goes on," Hart stated. "That's why I love Manchester City and I will forever love them. They're my club, they took me from 19 to 29. I'm not going to let one bad situation mar that."
He also clarified that Guardiola's dismissal was not a judgement on his ability. "It was never, 'You're horrendous,' it was just 'I haven't got time to make you the goalie that I want and I've got the budget to go and get someone else, so tough.'"
The episode remains one of the most stark examples of Guardiola's uncompromising vision, a decision that reshaped City's destiny but left a club legend nursing a profound sense of hurt and anger for years to come.
