ARTUR BORUC is a larger-than-life character.
The Polish stopper was certainly widely regarded as being a big personality in the Hoops dressing room during his time at the club between 2005 and 2010.
As he was on the way out of Parkhead in the summer of 2010 as he headed for Fiorentina, James Forrest was well on his way to becoming a future first team star, having impressed greatly for the club’s academy sides.
Their paths only crossed briefly, but Boruc’s stature at the club was something Forrest, 31, will always remember.
Of the current squad, the winger is the only player to have trained with the legendary Hoops keeper.
They will meet again later this week as Celtic take part in a tribute match for their former player against Legia Warsaw.
It’s something Forrest is relishing – as the Scotland international remembered how good the Pole was with younger players breaking though at the club such as himself.
He said: “I was young at the time, coming through, but I heard a lot of the players talking about him. From what I remember everyone liked him. There were a lot of stories about him but he was really quiet in the changing room and around the place.
“Any time I met him he was always really good with me as a young boy. He did so well here and I think it will be a good testimonial, a good game for him getting Celtic. Hopefully it’s a sell-out for him and a good night.
“There were so many big names there at the time, a lot of big personalities as well. I think it’s always good for young players coming through to learn off the big players who have played in the Champions League and internationals.
“It’s always good to be around big players like that and big characters, you always take bits off everyone and it helps your game as well.
“I think it’s different now (senior players approaching academy players). For the ones who have come through here, like Callum as well, when you see younger players you always take an interest because you have done it as well.
Everyone has been young and come through the youth system to get to the first team. It’s good for them to train with the first team boys and see what it’s like every day, and hopefully they get to that stage themselves some day.”
It was put to Forrest if Boruc was one of Celtic’s greatest ever No.1s. He replied: “I think he has to be right up there. If you ask a lot of fans about what he did here he was just so well liked.
“He’s definitely up there. For him playing against Celtic is perfect, he couldn’t have picked a better team to play against. He is definitely right up there.”
Forrest was speaking at Monday’s open training session at Celtic Park.
In the blistering heat, Ange Postecoglou’s squad showcased the intensity of their training in front of 10,500 of the club’s season ticket holders.
The moto of the club for the past 12-months has been ‘We Don’t Stop’. Forrest reckons it was good for the fans to get a glimpse of exactly the kind of hard work that goes on behind the scenes on a daily basis at Lennoxtown.
He said: “I think it was a really good day. The manager spoke about it before we went out as well. Even for the younger boys at training today they maybe trained in front of more fans than they’ve played in front of in a game. It’s good for everyone. Kids finished school and came to watch Celtic train, it’s a good day all round.
“I don’t know how many fans were here, five-to ten thousand, and it just shows you even for a training session they are turning up for that.”
After last summer’s hefty overhaul of players, it may seem like transfer business has been fairly slow in Glasgow’s east end so far this year.
The only fresh faces in the squad are Benji Siegrist and Alexandro Bernabei, with Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers signing permanent deals after their respective loan moves.
Celtic’s Japanese contingent of Kyogo, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi have all had time to get used to their surroundings in Glasgow, in a new continent.
And Forrest reckons Celtic will see the benefits of that during the 2022/23 campaign.
He said: “They know the scene now, especially the way they have come in and done really well. Kyogo right from the start of last season came in and did really well and then the other Japanese boys came in January and they just started straight away, just like Kyogo.
“They all work hard and they fit into the Scottish game really well. They have all been here a wee while now so they can all speak better English and they all get on with all the boys as well and that is a big thing. They have all performed really well and they can all kick on again.”
Celtic skipper Callum McGregor also reflected on the Boruc testimonial match as well as the last pre-season match at home to Norwich coming up.
He told the Parkhead crowd: “Obviously it’s a nice game for Artur and his connection with Celtic over a number of years.
“But at the same time it’s another important build-up game for us and we just need to keep pushing and be ready for that first league game. Plus, of course, there’s also the European group stage games.
“It’s important we just continue to push and build everyone’s fitness levels up.
“Obviously Norwich were in the Premier League last season, so they’ll be a high level opponent.
“We just need to keep pushing our level and Saturday will be another big test for us.”
