Playing for keeps, but Fabianski’s hoping to celebrate another joyous moment
IN a season where Swansea City have had few reasons for expressions of joy, Lukasz Fabianski has provided some of its iconic celebratory moments.
The Poland international has never hidden his emotions, he wears his heart on his sleeve.
When Swansea lost at Watford last season to slide nearer the drop he slumped to the floor, with his back against the goalpost as he pondered the worst.
This term at Vicarage Road he dropped to his knees, fists clenched, letting out a primal roar of relief and celebration after a thrilling comeback in Carlos Carvalhal’s first game at the helm.
When Jordan Ayew scored a vital equaliser against Everton you could have sworn Fabianski himself had scored the goal, sprinting and sliding on his knees as the Liberty went wild.
No wonder the Jack Army love the 33-year-old, and there’s no doubt if Swansea get out of danger the former Arsenal keeper will deserve plenty of pats on the back.
He was deservedly named the Supporters’ Player of the Year in midweek, recognition thoroughly deserved for a fourth-straight season where he has been among the Premier League’s top performers in his position.
“The big Pole in our goal” is a firm fans’ favourite, because of his abilities but also because in a time where there is much cynicism around professional sport, his expressions of his feelings and emotion are so clearly genuinely felt.
“Put it this way, I’m a romantic, emotional guy that lives and breathes football and believes in fairytale stories; Rocky, things like that,” he says with his plethora of gongs and prizes sitting nearby.
“The Watford game (this season) especially meant a lot to me because the new manager had just taken over and we were in a very dark moment.
“We’d just got battered away at Liverpool and we were so far behind the teams above us. That moment was very emotional for me. I remember then people were saying it’s over for Swansea.
“I thought ‘you can never say never’ and we shouldn’t be counted out and that’s how I look at this situation.
“In football sometimes it’s all about proving people wrong and I had the satisfaction from the Watford game that we’d done that and showed people we can still compete
in this league. The Everton one was pure joy because I could see us playing really, really well and we could have been three or four goals up.
“I don’t know how many times they cleared it off the line. That celebration was because it was a goal we deserved.”
Those moments are also indicative of how appreciative Fabianski is of the opportunity Swansea gave him four years ago.
The former Legia Warsaw keeper had spent seven years at Arsenal, but was never able to nail down a regular starting spot.
Despite an FA Cup triumph over Hull in 2014, he had made his mind up to move on.
“Swansea invested in me. They took a chance on me because I was a second-choice goalkeeper with not much experience when it comes to Premier League games,” says Fabianski.
“They had a regular goalkeeper who was doing really well for the club and they decided to make a move for me.
“There was a question mark over whether it would work out or not, but they’ve invested in me and I’ve just tried to give something back.”
Few would argue he has not repaid the faith shown in him over his 147 appearances to date, and his contributions this term could yet prove crucial in the final analysis of another relegation fight.
He has worked with Tony Roberts, as he had done at Arsenal, and the working relationship between the pair has paid rich dividends.
“The goalkeeping coach Tony Roberts is always excited,” said Fabianski. “I don’t really like talking too much about myself, but I have this feeling that it’s all clicking for me. It’s all coming together.
“I’ve got the experience of playing games now. I have this feeling that I’m steady and maybe that comes with experience.
“I think I’m very consistent, that’s the right word.”