Maik Nawrocki

Him and Starfelt, settling who plays beside CCV.

 

Everything new Celtic signing Maik Nawrocki had to say as he was unveiled at Parkhead...

First impressions of Celtic Park?

It is amazing. I was shocked at how big the stadium was. It is quiet at the moment, but I hope I will see it loud.

When did you first hear about Celtic's interest?

Two or three weeks ago, my agent was calling me and said, 'Celtic are interested'. Two weeks ago they called me and said, 'Celtic want you'. I wanted to come here after hearing that.

What made you want to come here?

I think everyone knows Celtic have the Champions League. There were big arguments for me to come here to make the next step.

Did you speak to Josip Juranovic before making the move?

Not yet, unfortunately, as I only played for three weeks with him. I have not spoken to him

How key was Brendan Rodgers in convincing you to come to Celtic?

Brendan is a very good coach, a legend and a great manager. Yesterday he called me. Tomorrow I think we will talk a little bit more.

How big is it that the club are in the Champions League?

It is amazing. The night here at Celtic Park will be amazing with some big games. Also, the league and everything. It is not only about the Champions League.

How would you describe your defensive style?

It is quite difficult to describe myself. I can play some games and then you can describe me.

What are you looking forward to most about arriving at Celtic?

I'm looking forward to taking the next step in my career and playing in big games. I think it is a good place to do that.

Have you seen any of your new team-mates before?

Not yet

Have you seen many Celtic games previously and has the atmosphere been something that has stuck out to you?

It is awesome. I think the famous quote from Tony Kroos talking how it was the best. I remember this.

Do you look forward to the pressure of having to compete in every single match that you are involved in?

I come from the biggest club in Poland (Legia Warsaw) so I had pressure there. It is not about pressure for me but rather excitement at coming to this country.

Will coming from a big club in Poland make your transition easier?

Yes. It is similar but just a little bigger at this club because of the Champions League.

 

New Celtic signing Maik Nawrocki believes his experience of Polish football can help him to be an instant success at the Scottish Champions.

German-born Poland Under-21 international Nawrocki has joined the Glasgow club, subject to international clearance, after helping Legia Warsaw win the Polish Cup last season by scoring the winning spot-kick in a penalty shootout victory over Rakow Czestochowa.

The 22-year-old was a product of Werder Bremen’s youth system before he headed to Poland with Worta Poznan and Legia Warsaw and he now believes the battling nature of the Ekstraklasa will help him to settle into life in Scotland.

He explained: “The Polish league is also more fighting than playing so I’m kind of used to it! I’m looking forward to getting to know the league because I don’t know it so well.

“In Poland away games are also very loud because of the fans. Even against Legia there are sometimes 20-25,000 people so I’m used to it. When you go on the pitch you don’t see this you just play your game.

“Every second game they have to stop the play for five minutes because of pyrotechnics and things. I’m used to this kind of stuff.”

Nawrocki is looking forward to teaming up with Brendan Rodgers and his teammates as preparations continue to build ahead of the new Scottish Premiership season.

The defender is yet to speak to his new manager in person but has received intel that the former Liverpool and Leicester boss has been an admirer for a while.

Legia famously defeated Rodgers’ Leicester City in the Europa League back in September 2021 and Nawrocki remembers the night fondly.

He continued: “I think for Legia it was one of the biggest games in their history, we won 1-0 at the full stadium. It was the loudest I’ve ever been in. We remember that night very well.

“Brendan Rodgers is well known in Great Britain. I talked with him a lot yesterday and he talked very well with me. Tomorrow we will speak when we see each other.

“Someone told me he remembered the game and me but we didn’t speak about it.”

After sampling the way a Rodgers-led team plays, it was a no-brainer for Nawrocki to hook up with the Northern Irishman at Parkhead.

“I like to have a lot of possession and to have the ball and to create attacks but you have to defend very well too of course,” he said.

“I think the right side is my strongest but the left is not a problem because I played both sides at Legia. Centre-back on both sides in a three or four really.

“Celtic is a well-known club throughout the world and when I got the call Celtic wanted me there was no second option. Honestly.

“I can’t imagine what it’ll be like when the stadium is full. Yesterday when I saw it for the first time and I was shocked at how big the stadium is. But it’s more excitement.

“I watched the Shakhtar game at Legia Stadium but I wasn’t there because we had training. Sometimes I’d watch them in the Champions League.

“We have the best team in the league so we can win every trophy again.”

Nawrocki hopes to follow in the footsteps of Artur Boruc who was a hugely popular figure during his time at Celtic.

The pair played together for a brief period as Boruc concluded his hugely successful career at Legia Warsaw and Nawrocki admits his experience left a lasting impact on him.

On the Polish goalkeeper, he said: “Artur was a legend in Poland and here at Celtic. I could play one year with him.

“He wasn’t only a good footballer but an amazing character. I was very happy and sometimes he’d tell stories about himself.

“It’s nice to go the same way he did. He was a different character. He spoke a lot about Celtic but he was 20 years older than me so we didn’t speak a lot but we always had a good relationship on the pitch.”

Nawrocki also hopes to follow in the footsteps of Boruc by becoming a mainstay for his national side Poland.

He is yet to gain a full cap for his country, but he was named in the provisional squad for Poland for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, before being left out of the final 26-man squad.

On the omission, he explained: “I was first of all happy to be in the squad because I hadn’t been in one before. The World Cup would have been my first nomination. I was more happy than disappointed.

“Celtic is now a bigger club, a stronger league, there’s the Champions League too so I can improve myself then maybe it will be easier to get into the national team.

“When I was 15 I arrived for the first time to the national team. I liked it so much that I never thought about changing anything.”

On his personality and what he can bring to the Celtic camp, Nawrocki added: “I think I was a quiet person off the pitch but on the pitch I wanted to show everything and not speak off it.

“I came to Legia, I was alone so I think I grew as a man too. Legia was the perfect step to prepare me for a club like this.

“It’s a good team with a mix of young players and experienced players. I can grow here. I’m here to make my big step and help the club to achieve their goals.”

 

Was listening to a 20MT podcast and they mentioned that Legia Warsaw players where attacked by fans and Nawrocki had to go to hospital in a stretcher

 

Was the scout that mentioned that wasn’t it?

 

Yeah, one other interesting thing was the Euro scout fella didn’t rate the K-league, says the A-league was better which doesn’t fill me with confidence.

He has made me excited to see Tilio right enough

 

MAIK NAWROCKI hopes to put his best foot forward at Celtic — then add to his boxes of boots back home.

The Polish Under-21 defender has penned a five-year contract with the Hoops in a deal worth £4.5million to former club Legia Warsaw.



Nawrocki was born in the German city of Bremen and came through the ranks at local side Werder.

As his career progressed the defender began to keep hold of footwear from his favourite spells.

Nawrocki, 22, said: “I keep all my old boots at home. I don’t throw them away.

“I have maybe 20 pairs at my home in Poland, and maybe another 15 back in Germany.



They are from some memorable games, for sure. I just like to keep them in boxes.”

Nawrocki hopes there are plenty more standout games to come now he’s at Parkhead.

He was named in Poland’s squad for the first time when a provisional group was announced for last year’s World Cup.

But he failed to make the cut for Qatar.



Competition is fierce for his country, with the likes of Arsenal’s Jakub Kiwiorand Jan Bednarek of Southamptonalready established in the team.



Nawrocki added: “We have some good Polish centre-backs and that’s the level I need to get to.

“I haven’t played for the national team yet, but Celtic is a good place for me to take the next step.

“First of all I have to prove myself here and then I can think about other things.

“I played with Jakub for Poland’s Under-19s and he’s now at Arsenal.

“Seeing him in the Premier Leagueinspires me. We’re a similar age and he’s made big steps in his career.




He went to Italy then to Arsenal, which are big steps. But I’m not thinking about leaving Celtic — I’ve not been in Glasgow a week yet!”

Nawrocki has experience of playing hostile clashes in Poland.

Now Rangers will become his biggest foes and he can’t wait to face them.

He said: “It is a big match for the fans, for the club and the city and I am really looking forward to it.

“We have the derbies in Poland and it is one of the biggest games in the season




It is very heated but in the end it is only three points. Do I like the atmosphere? Of course, that’s why you play football, to be involved in these games.

“In Poland I was sometimes a bit nervous beforehand but I don’t know what the atmosphere will be like here. We will see but I’m looking forward to it.

“At Legia, I experienced a situation in that everywhere you go everybody hates you, and gives 100 per cent against you, so I expect the same here. There will be no easy games.

“You know you have to be focused in all games and give your all.

“By that I mean not only the Rangersgames but in every match

“Will the fact I’ve won things at Legia help me here? Yeah, you are expected to do that and I believe we’ll achieve this.”




Nawrocki played in Champions Leaguequalifiers with Legia two seasons ago, as they came up short against Dinamo Zagreb in the third round.

They then faced Leicester, Napoli and Spartak Moscow in the Europa League, with one of their two wins coming at home to Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes side.

The Hoops go straight into the group stages this season, and Nawrocki reckons his experience in continental competition will help him adapt when that comes around.

He added: “The Champions League is the biggest competition in the world so I am keen to experience it.




It will not be easy but we will try our best.

“It is always good to play teams from different countries and I am excited about the chance to play big teams.”

Nawrocki will wear the No 17 jersey at the Hoops, just like he did at Legia





He said: “At Legia I had wanted to wear No 4, but it was taken so I took 17. I liked it and I didn’t want to change anything at Celtic.”

 

Pretty honest stuff. We're the next step in his career and he's the next step in our progression. Fair enough.

 

Did he play any pre season games for Legia?

 

No mention on injury? Wondering maybe if it's just fatigue or if he was still in the process of moving etc.

 

Rodgers said he picked up a ankle knock before signed

 

Ahh missed that, thanks for clearing up. Hopefully nothing serious.

 

He should be fine for Tuesday though

 

Like the way he comes across in interviews. Doesn't seem to talk pish or exaggerate. Think he's going to do well here.

 

Hopefully gets 45 minutes tomorrow then starts at the weekend.

 

Looks a unit there. Hope he gets 45 tomorrow.

 

MAIK NAWROCKI has confirmed he’ll be fit to make a Celtic debut in James Forrest’s testimonial.

The £4.5 million Polish centre-half missed the 1-1 draw with Wolves due to an ankle knock he had at the time of joining the Treble winners.



But ex-Legia Warsaw ace Nawrocki is now intent on hitting the ground running and aiming for a starting place in Saturday’s league opener against Ross County.

He told Sky Sports: “I’m looking forward to playing tomorrow.

“I am very happy.

“It’s my first week here and I’ve trained two times. We will see the game tomorrow and what will be on Saturday


I will take a few weeks but I want things to be as fast possible. When I play, there are no excuses, no injuries.”

It is a relief to Brendan Rodgers who had backline issues over the weekend and was forced to play Liam Scales against Wolves after his successful loan at Aberdeen last season

Defensive mainstay Cameron Carter-Vickers has also been recovering from ankle surgery this summer.