How Joe Hart once convinced Hughes to sign Kasper Schmeichel

Hughes and assistant Brian Rice had gone down to Manchester on a spying mission back in 2006/07 and they ended up signing one of the best goalkeepers in the history of the club.

The former Falkirk, Hibs and Inverness boss revealed that he hasn't stopped smiling since he learned that Schmeichel at the ripe old age of 37 is set to sign for Celtic.

The ex-Leicester goalkeeper will undergo a Celtic medical before clinching a two-year deal with the Scottish champions. Schmeichel is a free agent after leaving Anderlecht and emerged as the top candidate to succeed Hart as Celtic No.1 after he decided to hang up his gloves after helping Celtic to the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double last season.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is hopeful that the shot-stopper will be on the plane headed for the pre-season trip Stateside where the men in green and white will face DC United, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Hughes confessed that Schmeichel was a training ground machine who raised the bar at Falkirk to a ridiculous level.

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He said: "Back then Kasper was living in the shadow of his father Peter and that is no mean feat as his old man was such a wonderful goalkeeper.

"How is this for coincidence? Brian Rice and I went down to watch him in action and all sorts of scouts were there. I saw a group of guys with Manchester City tracksuits on and I just breezed right in there and ingratiated myself with them and started asking questions about Kasper and what his character was like.

"I introduced myself as the Falkirk manager and told them I was looking at Kasper and that I was interested in signing him on loan. One guy in particular stood out and he spoke away to me for ages. He told me he was a right good goalkeeper and a real prospect for the future and that he would do me a turn and if I signed him I would not regret it.

"You couldn't make this up but the guy I was talking to was Joe Hart. That's incredible, isn't it? Big Joe marked my card on Kasper and his report was glowing and it was excellent. He took a keen interest in his young teammate and what he was doing. I wasn't aware then that I was talking to Joe Hart as they were all young lads themselves. I was just trying to get as much information as I could about Kasper and it was Joe who filled in the blanks. I knew Falkirk were going to sign him after the chat I had with Joe. Kasper couldn't get up the road to Falkirk quick enough to go out and play first-team football.

"Manchester City and Stuart Pearce were brilliant to deal with as they couldn't do enough for us. We got him for nothing as Manchester City did not command any kind of fee or payment of part of his wages as long as their only stipulation was that Kasper played regular football.

"We played Kasper as much as possible. We put every faith in him and you could see straight away how he commanded his box and he was good with the ball at his feet. Joe Hart was right along as I took one look at him and I knew he would do us.

"Kasper was a step up in class for a club like Falkirk and he was a top-class goalkeeper in the making. The Falkirk boys loved him and he was so popular in the dressing room. He raised the bar in terms of quality and standards and the professionalism that he brought to our club was frightening.

"Kasper has won the English Premier League title and the FA Cup with Leicester City and he has played with some wonderful players in his career. He was different class at Falkirk. He really was. The club could not have asked for a better goalkeeper back then.

"We had Kasper as a young kid and he had natural enthusiasm it was infectious. I watched him closely during the Euros for Denmark and he has still got it in abundance. He hates to lose a goal, he hates to lose a game and just loves football.

"I struggled to get him off the training pitch at Falkirk. He would ask the boys to take penalties against him. Even now when I watch a player take a penalty against him I always fancy him to save it. He was a machine on the training ground. The Falkirk boys looked at each other as if to say who is this guy? He threw himself into the Falkirk loan move and he loved every minute of his time at the club."

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(Image: Agency)

Hughes reckons that age is no barrier as Schmeichel can still cut it at the highest levels. The 59-year-old admits that Schmeichel's move to Glasgow's east end is giving him similar vibes to when Hart signed on the dotted line for the men in green and white.

That switch sparked an unprecedented revival in Hart's career as he won seven trophies in three years at Parkhead - three Scottish Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups.

Hughes said: "Celtic signing Kasper Schmeichel strikes me as being exactly like the deal when Joe Hart came in. Kasper like Joe will love playing for a club like Celtic and it wouldn't surprise me if he enjoys similar success.

"The Celtic supporters will love Kasper in the same way that they ended up loving Hart. A move like this won't faze him one bit. Like Joe Hart, this is probably what Kasper needs at this time in his career. He will get to play Champions League games and experience derby matches against Rangers. What more could you ask for?

"I've just got a feeling Kasper Schmeichel will do what Joe Hart did and he will undergo a wee renaissance in his career. He needs that challenge and he has been up in Scotland before so he'll know what the game up here is all about."

Hughes though can't speak highly enough of his former prodigy and he hailed Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers for pulling off another managerial masterstroke by going down the tried and tested and experienced route as well as signing an absolute gem.

He is convinced that Schmeichel, just like his successor Hart, will fit right into the Celtic family ethos and culture and feel right at home in the club dressing room because he is not just a quality player but a brilliant person to boot.

Hughes said: "The biggest bonus in all of this is that Brendan knows Kasper and has worked with him before. There is no substitute for that. Brendan knows Kasper's quality and there is a real maturity about him now in terms of being a team player.

"Kasper will need to emulate Hart in the sense that he will have to enter a dressing room where Callum McGregor is the captain and listen to his skipper and help in whatever way he can. He will do that straight off the bat. He will become one of Callum's trusted lieutenants in the park as he will buy into the culture at Celtic. He cares about people.

"Brendan is a manager who always lays great stock in the quality of the player as well as the person that he brings to the club. Brendan has his finger on the pulse as far as those things are concerned. Kasper is a quality person. It is all about setting standards and he will do that in abundance within the Celtic dressing room.

"Brendan has plucked a real diamond of a goalkeeper for Celtic with this one. He really has. He is the best goalkeeper I have ever worked with. He has an unbelievable talent just like his father Peter. He could play into his 40s with Celtic at this rate if he wants to. "He will be desperate to work hard and I think he is a fantastic goalkeeping replacement for Hart. Kasper will not let anybody down.

"The challenge of playing in the Champions League and against Rangers will reignite his passion for the game again. He'll positively thrive on that. He is agile, he is just over 6 foot and that is the ideal height for a goalkeeper, he'll command his area and he is a great shot-stopper. This guy has been there and done it in the best league in the world - the English Premier League. What's not to like?

"He will make an unbelievable difference to Celtic and he "Watch out for his old man becoming a regular visit to Celtic Park soon enough. His old man has always kept an eye on Kasper throughout his career. He took a keen interest and always asked questions about his progress and how he was getting on at Falkirk.

"Kasper was a brilliant goalkeeper for Falkirk. I will always be grateful to Kasper for what he brought to the club and what he did for me. He took everything to another level. He was one of the best in terms of quality players that Falkirk ever signed. Celtic will have won a watch with this one."