Boruc deserves a big hand!
Forrest hails Celtic’s former madcap ‘Holy Goalie’ ahead of testimonial tie
BESIDE the 12 years and 20 medals, a further measure of James Forrest’s longevity at Celtic can be found in the company he has kept.
No one else in Ange Postecoglou’s squad could recall sharing a dressing room with Artur Boruc. Forrest can. For the 31-year-old, this week’s trip to Poland to honour Boruc will be like travelling back to the earliest days of his first-team career.
The Holy Goalie’s madcap reputation went before him during a five-year stint at Celtic, but a young Forrest never found him anything other than helpful.
As for Boruc’s talent? The winger would insist that stands beside the very best Parkhead has seen between the sticks.
Tomorrow night’s friendly against Legia Warsaw is to reward Boruc for his eight years of service in the Polish capital.
It also forms the latest leg of Celtic’s preparation for the new season, with just Saturday’s home meeting with Norwich City to follow before the Premiership title defence begins against Aberdeen on July 31. Forrest knows that build-up is the priority, yet is delighted to help out Boruc in the process.
The keeper’s time at Celtic delivered three league titles, two League Cups and one Scottish Cup, as well as successive seasons in the Champions League last-16. They also showcased a largerthan-life character capable of adding stress lines to manager Gordon Strachan’s forehead.
‘I was young at the time Artur was here, coming through, but I heard a lot of the players talking about him,’ recalled a smiling Forrest.
‘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.’
A full house might be optimistic given the grumbles from Legia fans about ticket prices, but Forrest is in no doubt Boruc is worthy of honouring.
‘There were so many big names there at the time, a lot of big personalities as well,’ he said, reflecting on squad assembled by Strachan.
‘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.
‘Where does Artur rank among Celtic goalies? 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.’ Of course, Forrest is now very much in the role of senior figure within the Parkhead dressing room. It’s second nature for him to look out for the younger players entering a potentially daunting environment. ‘For the ones who have come through here, like Callum (McGregor) as well, when you see younger players you always take an interest because you have done it,’ he added. ‘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 firstteam boys and see what it’s like every day, and hopefully they get to that stage themselves some day.’ Rocco Vata, son
of ex-Celtic midfielder rudi Vata, is one who has been given game-time during pre-season after impressing for the club’s b team last term.
‘He looks really well,’ said Forrest. ‘He’s adapted to our training right from the start of pre-season.
‘I think he’s only just turned 17 but physically, he looks ready. He’s in good shape and is quick.
‘You obviously don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but I think he’s a confident boy.
‘It’s maybe benefited him training with first-team players. He’s looked sharp and in some of the pre-season games.’
Celtic’s strength in attacking areas means Forrest is no longer guaranteed quite the same level of involvement as in his past.
He still made 32 appearances last term, though, and expects a schedule made all the more congested by the Qatar World Cup will lead to further squad rotation from Postecoglou once the new campaign gets underway.
‘It’s always been a case of taking my chance when I get it,’ insisted Forrest. ‘In those parts of the season when it’s more than one game a week, I don’t know what he’s going to do but he rotated the front line quite a lot last year.
‘He likes to change the attackers to freshen things up. With the amount of subs we could use last year, that worked in our favour.
‘It was maybe only at the end of the season when it was one game per week that he didn’t change things as much.
‘When you’ve got a big squad with a lot of players, it is good to have that strength and depth.’
Around 10,000 Celtic season ticket holders attended an open training day at Parkhead yesterday to watch the players being put through their paces.
‘I think it was a really good day,’ said Forrest. ‘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.’