Today is the 31st birthday of English international Joe Hart, who spent last season on loan at Torino.
The goalkeeper was frozen out by Pep Guardiola when the Catalan Coach arrived at Manchester City, and surprised many when he opted to join the Granata on a season long loan.
Hart arrived to much fanfare, and impressed the locals immediately by making an effort to speak Italian in his introductory Press conference.
Today is the 31st birthday of English international Joe Hart, who spent last season on loan at Torino.
The goalkeeper was frozen out by Pep Guardiola when the Catalan Coach arrived at Manchester City, and surprised many when he opted to join the Granata on a season long loan.
Hart arrived to much fanfare, and impressed the locals immediately by making an effort to speak Italian in his introductory Press conference.
Having become a key fixture in the England team, as well as winning two Premier League titles with City, the 29-year-old was expected to be an upgrade on Daniele Padelli.
He made his debut against Atalanta in September, but things didn’t quite go according to plan.
With Torino leading 1-0 thanks to Iago Falque’s free-kick, the visitors swung a deep corner in to the box.
Hart opted to try and claim it, but he could only push the ball further wide and Andrea Masiello was on hand to turn it in to the net.
Unfortunately it wasn’t an isolated incident, as Hart also gifted Mauro Icardi a goal for Inter at San Siro the following month.
Defending crosses at the back post proved to be a problem for the England international, as Crotone scored on a similar mistake at the Stadio Grande Torino.
While Hart did make some notable saves, it appeared his confidence was shot as he conceded numerous soft goals as the season progressed.
“Hart has made a few mistakes, especially when coming out for the ball,” Toro President Urbano Cairo told Radio Deejay in May 2017.
“We probably didn’t expect so many mistakes from an England international… but he did some good things, too.”
Toro could never afford Hart’s wages to sign him permanently, and while his overall form was decent his mistakes may have dissuaded attempts for another loan.
In the summer of 2017 Hart joined West Ham United on a permanent deal, ending his Serie A adventure.
He was only the 32nd British player to have played in Serie A and the first goalkeeper, and while he may not have been an unqualified success, he was nevertheless a popular figure with the Torino fans.