Artur Boruc
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (September 2007) |
| Artur Boruc | ||
 |
||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Artur Boruc | |
| Date of birth | February 20, 1980 | |
| Place of birth | Siedlce, Poland | |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | |
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Celtic | |
| Number | 1 | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1998–99 1999–2005 2000 2005 2005– |
Pogoń Siedlce Legia Warszawa → Dolcan Ząbki (loan) → Celtic (loan) Celtic |
? (?) 69 (1) ? (?) 9 (0) 132 (0) |
| National team2 | ||
| 2004– | Poland | 33 (0) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Artur Boruc (pron. IPA: [ˈartur ˈbɔruts]; born February 20, 1980 in Siedlce) is a Polish football player. He is a goalkeeper for Celtic and also represents the Poland national football team.
Contents |
[edit] Career
[edit] In Poland
Before moving to Celtic, Boruc played for Pogoń Siedlce, in his birth town, from 1998–99. Until 2000 he then played for Legia Warszawa reserves, before a loan spell at Dolcan Ząbki. From 2001, he played first-team football for Legia. In June 2004 Boruc scored his only goal for the club, converting a penalty kick in a home game against Widzew Łódź (final score: 6–0) and then celebrated by waving the corner flag.[1]
[edit] In Scotland
On July 20, 2005, he signed with Celtic from the Polish club Legia Warszawa. The deal was initially a year's loan, with an option to make it permanent. It has since been made permanent, with Boruc penning a 3½-year deal with Celtic until 2009. On January 5, 2008, it was reported that Boruc had signed a new contract with Celtic keeping him at the club until 2011.[2]
On November 21, 2006, in a Champions League match against Manchester United at Celtic Park, Boruc helped Celtic through to the knockout stage of the competition by saving Louis Saha's 89th-minute penalty. He was named player of the month for December 2006 in the Scottish Premier League, a very uncommon event for a goalkeeper. His form was also recognised with a nomination for the Scottish PFA's player of the year award for 2007.[3] Celtic were drawn against Russian champions FC Spartak Moscow in the third qualifying round for the UEFA Champions League 2007–08. The tie ended in a penalty shootout, with Artur Boruc saving twice to ensure Celtic's passage to the next round.
[edit] International
[edit] World Cup 2006
Boruc has appeared 32 times for Poland. He was selected to the 23-men national squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals held in Germany. He had been battling with Tomasz Kuszczak for the starting slot, but was first-choice goalkeeper during the World Cup.
[edit] Euro 2008
Boruc was named in Poland's Euro 2008 squad, starting their first game against Germany.
[edit] Controversy
On August 25, 2006 he was cautioned by the Strathclyde Police for a breach of the peace for making gestures in front of Rangers fans before a game earlier that year.[4] According to the Sunday Herald, "police reports highlighted three hand gestures made by 26-year-old Boruc … a V sign at the crowd, another obscene gesture at the crowd and a blessing". The gestures were not caught on video and the caution was issued on the basis of police reports and witness statements.[4] This incident has led to him attaining the nickname "The Holy Goalie", which is recently more and more replaced by "spaceman".[5]
The Procurator Fiscal said Boruc "was seen by members of the public and police officers to bless himself. Witnesses describe him smiling or laughing at a Rangers section of the crowd and making 'come on' gestures. This action appeared to incense a section of the crowd to react in such a way that police officers and security personnel had to become involved to calm the situation. The police reported that it took 10 minutes to restore normality in the crowd."[6] According to a cross-party working group of the Scottish Parliament, "the sign of the cross in itself is an expression of the Roman Catholic faith; however, using it to alarm, upset or provoke others might be a breach of the peace at common law."[7]
The Roman Catholic Church condemned the legal action, however, expressing regret that "Scotland seems to have made itself one of the few countries in the world where this simply religious gesture is considered an offence."[8] Following extensive press comment, the Crown Office issued a statement on 28 August 2006 stressing that the "very limited" action had been taken against Boruc for gestures made toward Rangers supporters rather than for crossing himself, and that it would not take action against individuals for "acts of religious observance".[9] According to BBC News Online, the caution "brought the issue of sectarianism in Scotland back into sharp focus."[10] The Roman Catholic Church welcomed the Crown Office's clarification of the limited action taken against Boruc, particularly the statement that it "did not in any way refer to the act of blessing himself".[11]
On December 17, 2006 Boruc again crossed himself during his first Old Firm game since the caution, drawing "a roar" from the Rangers fans behind his goal.[12][13] A spokesman for Celtic defended his gesture, stating "the police have said they have no problem with Artur Boruc in this regard and neither does Celtic Football Club."[12]
On May 5, 2007, Boruc ran across the pitch at Ibrox Stadium waving a flag proclaiming Celtic as SPL Champions. Strathclyde Police said that "No criminal act has occurred, but we will be addressing the matter to Celtic and the Scottish Premier League."[14] This incident was the fifth time in 16 months that Boruc has been accused of provoking opposition fans.[15] Boruc was then caught on camera on September 23, 2007 waving towards Hibernian fans. However, no action was taken against him.[16]
Boruc was again in the media spotlight following the Rangers–Celtic clash on October 20, 2007 for refusing to shake hands with opposing players after the match. Boruc told the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza that they had "provoked" and "offended" him during the game.[17]
On March 2, 2008, Boruc was again the centre of controversy when he received a booking shortly after the final whistle in the 2–0 win against Hibernian. Boruc was punished for alleged incitement by "waving and smiling cheekily at the Hibs supporters".[18]
On April 27, 2008, after Celtic's defeat of Rangers at Celtic Park, Boruc took off his top revealing t-shirt with a picture of Pope John Paul II and the slogan "God bless The Pope". [19] However, match referee Craig Thomson dismissed claims that Boruc' intention had been to antagonise Rangers fans, highlighting the fact that the keeper did not approach them so that they could see the shirt.[20]
[edit] Personal life
Boruc is a Legia Warszawa fan. He attends matches whenever he is in Poland.[21] He makes the L sign using his thumb and index finger to show his love for the Polish side. He is also a member of Legia Warsaw Supporters Association (Polish: Stowarzyszenie Kibiców Legii Warszawa) and helps supporters in their conflict with the club's authorities.
On 21 April 2007 he saved a 27-year-old pregnant Polish woman, her sister and brother-in-law when they were attacked in Glasgow [22]
[edit] Notes
- ^ (Polish) Legia Warszawa 6–0 Widzew Łódź, 90minut.pl
- ^ (Polish) Boruc podpisał nowy kontrakt!, ArturBoruc.com, 5 January 2008
- ^ Celtic dominate awards shortlist, BBC News Online, 12 April 2007; retrieved 14 April 2007
- ^ a b Anger grows over police caution for Boruc's blessing, Sunday Herald, August 27, 2006
- ^ ‘If fans give it, they must be able to take it’, The Herald, March 3, 2008
- ^ Football and the Law, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, August 2006
- ^ Report of cross-party working group on religious hatred, Scottish Government, December 5, 2002
- ^ Storm as goalkeeper pays Sign of the Cross penalty, The Observer, August 27, 2006
- ^ Player caution 'not for blessing', BBC News Online, 28 August 2006
- ^ A rivalry tied up in religion, BBC News Online, 26 August 2006
- ^ Statement from Bishop Devine, Scottish Christian Monitor (via the Internet Archive), August 28, 2006
- ^ a b Celtic keeper makes Rangers fans cross, The Scotsman, 18 December 2006
- ^ Scotland's not-so-secret shame at YouTube, December 17, 2006
- ^ SFA probes Boruc's flag-waving, BBC News Online, 9 May 2007
- ^ Boruc flagged down by police, Sunday Mail, May 6, 2007
- ^ Artur Boruc won't face rap over gesture, The Daily Record, September 25, 2007
- ^ No love lost for Boruc, Sky Sports News, 23 October 2007
- ^ Artur's antics put Strachan on the defensive, Scotland on Sunday, 2 March 2008
- ^ SPL receives Boruc t-shirt report, BBC News Online, April 30, 2008
- ^ Scotland’s man in Zurich knows all about Artur, The Herald, 6 June 2008
- ^ Boruc's war cry for his heroes, icScotland, April 19, 2007
- ^ Exclusive: Celtic star's thug fury, Sunday Mail, April 22, 2007
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Artur Boruc career stats at Soccerbase
- Artur Boruc's national team statistics on the website of the Polish Football Association
- Anger grows over police caution for Boruc’s blessing, Sunday Herald, 27 August 2006
- Police report Boruc flag-waving, BBC News Online, 7 May 2007
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|||||
