Joe Corrigan, goalkeeping coach at West Brom for the last four years after a decade at Liverpool, tried to take Hart to the Hawthorns in 2006 but as he revealed to MCFCTV.com the Baggies lost out when City also made a bid for the promising youngster.
Big Joe says, “I had been at Shrewsbury on loan myself a long time ago, I went to watch him and saw a great, raw talent. He was a great kicker of a ball and I thought he had a real chance. I went back to Bryan Robson and gave him my valuation, we put in a bid but found that City had come in with one as well that we could not compete with. He’s done fantastically well since coming to City, and he looks a great prospect.
“He’s a got good hands and is very, very confident for a young boy. He was very imposing and he looked the part, even as a teenager. I really hope he achieves what I think he can achieve, and he is going to be in direct competition with Scott Carson, who I work with at West Brom. I think they could have a rivalry like the one I had with Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence, competition is always a good thing.”
There are also words of encouragement for Kasper Schmeichel, with Joe urging the Danish Under international to keep be ready to take his chance when it comes.
“He has to keep performing when he’s asked to. He’ll be getting great advice of the Kevin Hitchcock and from his father as well, he’s just got to be patient because one day the chance may come and he’ll have to take it with both hands.”
To see & hear more from Big Joe, including his memories of Alex Williams, go to MCFCTV.com. Don’t forget that MCFCTV.com will have live commentary from St James Park when City take on Newcastle United on Monday night.
