When Artur Boruc signed for Italian club Fiorentina it was the end of five great years for the Polish goalie at Celtic Park.

Probably the best keeper to play for the club in the past two decades, Boruc leaves Glasgow with three SPL badges, two League Cup and one Scottish Cup medal.

Always a character, the Holy Goalie’s match day ritual of blessing himself not only endeared him to The Faithful but angered the bigots that trawl this small minded country.

His heroics between the sticks included the famous penalty save from Manchester United’s Louis Saha in the Champions League, his penalty conversion against Dundee United in the CIS Cup semi-final and for me the best save of his career, when he tipped a swerving shot onto the post at Easter Road last season.

The big man was never afraid to voice his opinion or show his allegiance as he proved at Legoland when he left the park waving a ‘Champions’ Celtic flag!

Everyone at Celtic Fanzone wish the HG all the best for the future and look forward to seeing back visiting the club he held so dear for the last five years.

Good luck Artur!

The Holy Goalie

We all know things are quiet domestically with the World Cup dominating every news story, in particular Engurland’s haddies, but do the press have to print so many negative articles about Celtic?

For example;

“Celtic chase for Stevie Harper a none starter.”

This particular story relates to Celtic ‘wanting to sign’ Newcastle United keeper Steve Harper to replace…..you’ve guessed it none other than the Holy Goalie, Artur Boruc.

Apparently, Newcastle manager Chris Hughton has issued a ‘hands off’ warning to Celtic for the Geordie goalie.

“Aiden Hires Super Agent”

Well, we all know that Aiden McGeady is under contract at Celtic Park for another three years. So why would he want to change agents? Because he’s desperate to get out of Glasgow and play in the Premiership.

Who says so? Aiden? Nope, the media of course.

No one from Celtic have made any kind of official statement regarding the futures of our two best players.

So the press just make it up.

Meanwhile I Don’t see many stories by the hacks about Boyd or Boooogera leaving the Dark Side? Do you?

Much has been said and written about who Tony Mowbray wants to bring in to Celtic in the January window, but who should he keep at Celtic Park?

YOU decide who you want to watch as Tony’s revolution begins to take shape….>>>>>>>>>>

Our love of international breaks show no sign of abating, now that news of not one, but two injury scares on Celtic players representing their countries have emerged.

Scott Brown played most of the game at Hampden against Macedonia in some sort of limp mode, although it didn’t stop him getting about the park and up the noses of the Macedonian players!

He will need as much rest as he can get if he’s to play against Holland. We’ve got to remember he’s just getting his fitness together after a close season op.

Hopefully he’ll miss out and be fit for Saturday’s game against Dundee United at Celtic Park. A far more important game in my book!

Joining him on injury watch is the in-form Holy Goalie. Artur appears to have strained a calf muscle in Poland’s 1-1 draw with the North.

He faces a race to be fit for the Slovenia game on Wednesday.

If Artur doesn’t make it, our very own Lukasz Zaluska will deputise and might even find himself facing his old club Dundee United in Saturday’s SPL tie.

Once again we find ourselves waiting anxiously after an international break.

In only our second full pre-season game, Celtic came away from Cardiff with a goalless draw against a side that’s a wee bit further ahead of us in terms of fitness and match play.

The Bhoys started well enough and dominated for the first twenty minutes, with Skippy managing to hit the post. But the home team then got to grips with Celtic’s pace and movement and began to threaten.

Artur In Great Form

At this point we had to call on the Holy Goalie to keep us in the game. Big Artur made three outstanding saves, a sure sign that he’s lost none of his appetite for the game.

Knowing that his buddy is waiting to take his place is he drops a clanger will keep him on his toes.

The second half was played more in the Hoops half with the home team pressing for a winner. However that didn’t happen and both sides will be happy to open Cardiff’s new stadium with a draw.

Big plus points for Mogga must have been the performance of Landry NGuemo and Marc-Antoine Fortune. Both look like good players and are settling in well.

Obviously they will need help. Maybe Sylvinho?

After reading over the last few days about The Holy Goalie’s trials and tribulations from last season and his ‘clear the air’ chat with new manager Tony Mowbray it appears to me the one thing that been missing is now sorted.

Artur’s best friend Lukasz Zaluska joined the club on a pre-contract agreement from Dundee United on the first day of June.

To me, that could well be a masterstroke.

Not only have we signed a really good goalkeeper, but we has also got someone in the club that might understand Artur a bit more.

Boruc Adored By Fans!

Having another Polish teammate, as well as friend might just be what the Holy Goalie needs right now.

I’m not making excuses for the big man, at times last season he was shocking, other times he was brilliant, but since Magic Zurawski left Celtic, Artur has kinda gone his own way.

Could be a Polish thing, I don’t know. Maybe he needs a countryman to confide in?

Either way, this will be a big season for Boruc, let hope he gets back to the form that made him the best ‘keeper in Euro 2008.

P.S. I’m not sure what Mogga meant by the form to attract a ‘big club’. He’s at the biggest.

One of the reasons we ended last season losing the SPL title could be put down to the indiscipline of players within the camp.

Most notably The Holy Goalie and Aiden McGeady were the biggest culprits for a variety of on and off field discrepancies.

It’s good to see Tony Mowbray addressing the issue immediately because they may have got away with so much under WGS stewardship but a new man has new rules.

And while he’s at it, Mogga could do well to tell Skippy and Sammy to do there talking on the park and not in the papers.

As well as having a word with Stephen McManus.

If he’s to remain as captain of the club, then he better stop this idea that he’s got about playing when he’s not fully fit and letting the team, the manager and the fans down, like he did at Tynecastle and Pittodrie.

Or give the captaincy to Player of the Year Gary Caldwell.

If the Bhoys come away from Sheepland with a clean sheet today, I’m certain we’ll have all three points in the bag.

Regardless of how many injuries they have, Tango and Sash will have the Sheep up for the game.

WGS, Looking For A Win

Any notion of helping their beloved Glasgow Rankers will be enough to ensure they get their players are fired up for the match.

All we have to do is ‘keep the heid’.

We’ve been in this position before, so we should know how to handle it. The Hoops will be refreshed from the wee break in Spain, and I’m sure Ghord will want to get this game out the way.

Selection wise? That’s anyone’s guess.

But I’ll take a stab at the following:

Boruc, Hinkel, Loovens, McManus, Naylor; McGeady, Nakamura, Caldwell, Crosas; Skippy and Big Jan.

C’mon the Bhoys!!!!

Since the Hoops don’t have to worry about a Scottish Cup Semi-Final this weekend, wee Ghord and the Bhoys are off for a weeks ‘bonding’ in Spain.

Nice work if you can get it!

With the remaining SPL fixtures all ready carved up, the trip will be used to get the players in focus for the ‘five cup finals’ we have between now and the end of the season.

New Slimline Artur!

Obviously, La Manga in April will be the same conditions we’ll experience at Aberdeen next weekend!

Hopefully, the break will do the trick..and with a bit of luck WGS will be working on how to get into the lead and keep it.

The bottom line is..if Celtic keep three clean sheets away from home then we’ll be on our way to our fourth title.

P.S. Has anyone noticed how much slimmer the Holy Goalie has become since he started to wear…black? If only someone had told BBJ!

The news that the Holy Goalie was sent back to Glasgow after the nightmare he endured on and off the park in Belfast last Saturday, should come as no surprise to anyone.

A Rebel Yell!

His international coach Leo Beenhakker has hardly been supportive of Artur, something that can’t be said of WGS. And to make matters worse, his goalkeeping coach Jan Tomaszewski has blamed Boruc for inciting a ‘religious war’.

That last piece of nonsense makes my blood boil. How would he know what Artur has to go through in Glasgow? Maybe Cloughie was right to call him a ‘clown’ all those years ago.

Anyway, it’s best for Artur to where he feels wanted, so Lennoxtown for the next couple of days will be a welcoming sanctuary for the big Pole.

And joining him shortly will be Aiden McGeady. The flying Irishman has a knee injury that will keep him out of the Republic’s game against Italy in Bari tomorrow night.

Aiden will surely benefit from the rest and be ready to face Hamilton this Saturday. Hopefully the remaining Bhoys on international ‘duty’ will come through unscathed and we can focus on the title run-in starting this week.

This really is a time when the club comes first.