Pep Guardiola’s Ruthless Handling of Joe Hart Shows He’ll Stop at Nothing to Win

It’s a debate that has somewhat overshadowed Manchester City’s promising start to the new season.

Pep Guardiola has overseen two wins in the space of four days, including the club’s biggest European away victory ever, albeit against a lacklustre Steaua Bucharest side. It’s early days, and no one is getting carried away, but there are healthy signs, even at this early juncture of Guardiola’s time in charge, that he can have a significant impact on the City squad.

But it hasn’t been without some unrest.

Joe Hart’s position at the club has been discussed endlessly, with the majority of supporters unhappy with the decision to remove him from the starting lineup in favour of Willy Caballero, a goalkeeper who has rarely impressed since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium in 2014.

In Guardiola’s mind, it’s a straightforward issue. His sides play a very particular style of football, one that involves 11 players who are comfortable in possession. His goalkeepers aren’t goalkeepers as we know them in England. They are auxiliary outfield players—Guardiola’s extra weapon that he feels has been key in the success he’s had at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

In his seven seasons as a manager, he’s won 21 trophies and dazzled with the quality of football his sides have played. Who are we to argue with the most tactically astute coach in the game?

Since Joe Hart made his @premierleague debut in 2006, Tim Howard is the only goalkeeper to have played more games. pic.twitter.com/x6iyouPkC8

— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) August 17, 2016

But Caballero’s distribution has hardly impressed in pre-season or City’s first two games—and in terms of his ability to keep the ball out of the net, the fundamental part of a goalkeeper’s game, Hart is far superior.

It’s led to unrest in Hart’s camp. The man signed from Shrewsbury Town back in 2006 for just £100,000 is now looking for a loan move, according to Paul Hirst of the Times. The 29-year-old feels a connection to City and the supporters and therefore is unwilling to move permanently.

Joe Hart wants loan move after being frozen out at MCFC. Everton and Sevilla interested. https://t.co/QPWKAKlsCI

— Paul Hirst (@hirstclass) August 17, 2016

But he has competition at international level from Jack Butland and Fraser Forster, and he’s aware he needs to be playing to fend off their challenges.

His poor European Championship, which saw him at fault for the goal that saw Iceland knock England out of the competition at the last-16 stage, means his supremacy isn’t as clear as it once was. He needs to be playing regularly for a top-flight club, preferably in the Premier League.

It all feels somewhat harsh. Hart has played just 45 minutes of football under Guardiola during the pre-season friendly with Arsenal in …

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