ANGE POSTECOGLOU was so intent on signing Joe Hart he WASN'T put off - even when the keeper admitted football wouldn't be his No1 priority at the Hoops.
Hart rounded off an illustrious career at the end of last season, signing off from Celtic amidst emotional scenes at Parkhead - and a Scottish Cup win.
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The England international came to the club after being relegated to third-choice at Tottenham and admitted he wasn't sure if he had a place in the pro game anymore.
But Celtic changed that. And more.
So much so, Hart says he's become a lifelong Hoops supporter and intends on returning north one day to join the Green Brigade section at the stadium.
But he confessed it might not have happened had Ange Postecoglou not believed in him quite as much as he did.
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A stunning confession during "very, very honest" signing talks might have put other bosses off, but Hart's family situation didn't get in the way of a three-year Hoops career that netted two doubles and a treble.
He agreed to share his time between his wife Kimberley, kids and Celtic but told his future boss the lay of the land before he put pen to paper.
Hart admitted: "It was a very, very honest conversation especially from my point of view.
"I said 'look please don't let me come across as defeatist but I've got to a spot here where I don't know if I want to be a part of the professional world of football anymore.'
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"I said 'I'm not sad, I'm not down, I just don't feel I fit and for me to fit I need to be given a chance. I need to be understood and I want the opportunity to play. I'm not telling you to do that, I'm saying that's what I need to get the best out of me.'
"Ange is an incredible, incredible man manager and said ‘You know what, I've done my research on you so I'm not going to try and feel you out as a person.
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“He said ‘I've spoken to enough people about you to not have to even make a decision. Football-wise I can't promise you anything but I can promise you an opportunity so if you do come up here, I feel like it could work'.
But that wasn't the end for Hart who also wanted to be up-front about his domestic duties too.
Speaking to the High Performance Podcast he revealed: “I also said 'look, family-wise football's not number one in our house anymore so if I do come, I'm coming on my own.
"You don't know me, but just trust that I'm all in - completely all in - but I will be working between the two on days off and things like that. I don't want that to upset you - if that's going to upset you and upset the balance in the dressing room then I'm putting all my cards on the table'."
But the 37-year-old added: “When I said it wasn't number one in my house it was that there were far more important people in terms of stability and a living situation but it was still once I was in Glasgow, and on the training field, I wasn't thinking about anything else.
“I just want to be really clear that I was still as passionate and as involved - it's just living wise that was it.”
That wasn't a deal-breaker though.
"[Postecoglou] said 'look I can't tell you how it's all going to work but that's not a big no-no for me. I feel like we can start a relationship and and we can go from there'."
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The rest is history and the Australian's acceptance convinced Hart to stick around and play another three seasons before his emotional retirement decision in February.
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Hart added: "That was enough me, the fact that [he was] even willing to listen to my so-called demands - but they're not demands - like what would what would really make me tick and potentially get the best out of me.
"I'd do anything for you, like... let's do this."
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