Artur Boruc

These make me emotional

 

* bless the big man.

 

There have been countless Celtic players over the years who have faced rivals Rangers without making a mark or paying much attention to the vitriol.​

That's not Artur Boruc's style. If there's any player who has donned the green and white and got swept up in the hatred and ferocity that makes up the Old Firm over the years it's the Pole. He's had Gers opponents in a chokehold. He's sprinted across the Ibrox turf after a defeat hoisting a Celtic Champions flag in front of his foes. When it comes to the Light Blues, Boruc is an unashamed wind-up merchant.




Religion, of course, has always played an unfortunate part in the Celtic vs Rangers storyline, at least among supporters but it's the black mark against the derby that always threatens to turn the fixture and the surrounding narrative a bit too nasty




Boruc admits he found himself strongly attached to the emotion of the powderkeg clashes which ultimately always did have a religious element.

The 42-year-old stopper always felt it was a bit of a touchy subject but his passion for the club back then and desire, not only to adhere himself to the fans, but to beat Gers at all costs took over his better judgment at times.

Police were famously called in after Boruc sparked a furious frenzy when he blessed himself at Ibrox. A routine he would do across the country before each half, maybe, but that was the first time he felt there was something stronger brewing than just geographical rivalry.


The emotions was always a big part of my life and that was probably the reason why I would get involved so much in the rivalry," Boruc told Football Scotland in part two of our exclusive sit-down with the club legend.




I was pleased I could enjoy it with the Celtic fans.

"When (I blessed myself) that was the time where I probably realised how big (the rivalry) is with the religion and that kind of thing.

"And it was a big thing for me as well because I knew what to do exactly.



It was a little bit problematic as it's like race and people talking about that all the time. For me religion was too heavy a matter and that showed me what situation I might be in with the things I was doing.




It didn't really stop me too much at the time because I wanted to enjoy my life and that's what I was doing at Celtic. It might be a little bit too crazy and silly from my side but I still remember having great memories of a great time."

The hand gesture - one of two infamous gestures to irk the Rangers faithful, but we won't talk about the other - earned the former Southampton and Fiorentina keeper the nickname Holy Goalie.

It wasn't until this reporter sat down with the player that he realised that's where it was born. Boruc chuckled: "I always wondered where that (nickname) came from! Who came up with it and what was behind it. I never knew and I actually still don't know what was behind it!"

If he didn't know at the time exactly how things started, he certainly embraced it. Coincidentally - yeah, sure - it was after another Rangers clash where he threw on a T-shirt of Pope John Paul II to stoke the flames while simultaneously receiving more love from his adoring faithful.



One of my friends showed me the T-shirt and came up with the idea," he recalls. "It's why I wore it, that was another thing which I enjoyed.




It's a good memory for me, nothing too bad happened with it so I will always remember it."


For all the chatter and controversy, Boruc insists he only has good memories from his time in Glasgow as a whole, rivalry aside.

There were, however, a few hairy moments that had him taking stock of his behaviour.

"There were a couple of moments that were a little bit more scary but like I said I wasn't thinking about it that much as I was young and trying to enjoy myself and enjoy where I was," he commented. "I didn't really go through that


I remember Neil Lennon was sent bullets in the post. I got a few scary letters but you can't fully understand how frightening it could get because it's just a letter.

"I probably didn't put too much attention onto it which is why I didn't react.

"I do understand rivalry but that's the other side of football in Glasgow, it's not the best

 

Liked his interview; you can tell he had just as many good times off the park as he had on it while he was in Glasgow - No surprises to see him saying the feeling he got playing for Celtic in the big games has never been matched anywhere else; Parkhead in full voice is the type of atmosphere footballers dream of playing in

 

Artur Boruc has opened up on THAT changing room brawl with former Celtic teammate Aiden McGeady.



As the story goes, the Pole refused to dive in training for McGeady's shots which did not suit particularly well with the winger at the time. Words were exchanged and Boruc flew off the handle, making a beeline for the Irishman and swinging a punch which narrowly missed before the pair were pulled apart.


As McGeady has recalled it in the past, the Holy Goalie approached him in the dressing room and feigned an apology before thumping him and casually strolling away to the showers to cool off.




Needless to say that didn't go down well, either, but when McGeady attempted to exact revenge it was Boruc who came out on top again with another clean dig to the chin.

Boruc was no stranger to controversy during his five years in Glasgow and didn't always keep his aggression for behind closed doors. Former Rangers skipper David Weir can attest to that, as can another ex-teammate, Lee Naylor, who drew the ire of the stopper at half-time as Celts took on Spartak Moscow back in a Champions League qualifier in 2007.

The maverick goalie was a fan of the warring side of football but it was the McGeady incident that is still spoken about all these years later.



And sitting down for part-three of Football Scotland's exclusive chat with the legendary Hoops player, he was finally able to set things straight, explaining that issues like that one happened more often than just the once.




I don't think that was just one time," Boruc chuckled.

"It was probably a couple of times, we had quite an intense relationship, let's just say that.

"Does it come from two people just wanting to win in their own way? Probably.


Although Aiden was always a cheeky little... I don't want to end that sentence!

"But he was a great football player and I think overall he was a good teammate and we achieved a lot together so I won't say anything bad about him because I like him.

"I'll let Aiden talk about it!"

 

Best goalie I've ever saw at his peak. Would say he fell off a cliff with form so not the most consistent overall but prime Artur could not be touched.

 

So glad that is was us that were there to play Legia and honour Brouc for all he did for us as well during his 5 years at Celtic Park. Well deserved for a player who was one of my favourites during the Strachan years.

 

Came in to post this...* superb. Big man gets his phone out

 

He’s awkward as * there

 

Some gear that

 

I love him,he gave us so many good memories.The home game vs Man U is possibly still my favourite European match at home,defoes top 2/3…atmosphere was unbelievable.I think people forget just how good that night was at times.It’s always sweet beating an English side but that was Ferguson’s United,and Boruc was on another level,they just couldn’t cope with him - or Nakamura.We really could do with their likes around right now.

 

That season he was easily one of the best keepers in Europe, folk forget that Man U team was in the first season of 3 years of dominance with a champions league win added in aswell.

 

I’d give my right * to have him back.

Even the last season version of him when he was fat and couldn’t be arsed.

 

Agreed mate, other than Casillas, Buffon and Cech I'd struggle to make a case for anyone else in better form that season. That performance against AC Milan in the Last 16 he genuinely looked unbeatable.