Celtic head to Motherwell this Sunday and, barring a freak injury, Joe Hart will be in goal as usual, so nothing new there then.

The big news of the week, though, came with the announcement that the Hoops No.1 will be retiring as a player at the end of the season.

The keeper announced his decision yesterday (Thursday) and, ahead of the Fir Park meeting, he faced the media for the first time since breaking the news, and, obviously, that was high on the agenda at the pre-match press conference.

He said of the reaction since his announcement: “We were off yesterday and obviously there were a few messages.

"The majority of people that matter knew what was coming, and, especially the people that I know, they respect that this is just a time for letting people know. It’s not a time to go too deep.

‘There’s a lot of work left to do and I’m looking forward to it.’

“There was a natural three-year cycle that I had here. Previous to coming up here, I was a little bit lost in the footballing world.

“I still felt that I had my ability, but, and this is not a complaint, that's how the football world works sometimes if you don’t have a place, especially as a goalkeeper, I didn’t quite fit, it wasn’t quite sticking how I wanted it to.

“I got an opportunity to come up here, I spoke with Ange and the club. I put a few things that I’d love to happen if I was given the opportunity, to which they were open to.

“Obviously I had to keep my end of the bargain by performing, and being embraced by such a huge, amazing club.

“Most of all, the most pleasing thing for me is that a lot of the people here have respected that I've come and I give my all, no matter whether it’s good, bad or indifferent.

“I’m sure there’s many times people have wanted me in, wanted me out, but that’s the life of a goalkeeper, but ultimately it's being respected as a person, and, like I say, welcomed into a really special club.

“I’ll be 37 at the end of this season, what direction the club wants to go into, whether I fitted into that I wasn’t too sure- we didn’t even have that conversation. I certainly wasn’t interested in going and trying to play anywhere else, so it felt right.

“I wanted to be strong, fit and ultimately happy. If there is such a thing, I feel I’m in that place and I feel like it’s the right time.

“I’ve loved every minute of being here. Myself and my family, it’s been everything and more than I wanted it to be and I’ll be forever proud that I played for and represented this club.”

Still work for Joe Hart to do – starting with Motherwell