Scottish Premiership

ARTUR BORUC admits he can’t wait to end his career with a farewell match against Celtic…before emigrating to California.The keeper has announced he will finally hang up his gloves at the age of 42 with a farewell match on July 20 against his former club, in Poland.
Artur Boruc is set to face Celtic before retiring
And he has revealed he wants to take a long break from football now.
He said: “I will play the last game in my career in the colours of Legia against Celtic, whom I also support and are a club very close to me, where I spent great years.
“The match is a very nice initiative on the part of Legia, a really good ending to my adventure. I am very happy with this match.
“Unfortunately, my advancing years and health doesn’t allow me to represent the colours of Legia Warsaw at an appropriate level. So I decided to stop.
“My health will not allow me to continue.
“I feel more and more ailments and it this season was probably one of the first moments when I got scared of what might happen in my life in the future.
“I started to pay a little less attention to football and a little more to health.
“Ultimately, I think that I will not live in Poland, my wife and I think about the United States – perhaps sunny California, to have warm and beautiful weather for 300 days a year.
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“I have no idea what I will do in the future. Football has been my life. I have never really thought about it.
“I read a story in Poland that said I was going to go into scouting when I retire.
“Where could I be a scout? Maybe in the bars of Warsaw to scout for the best beer!
“No, I don’t want to stay in football.”
The fixture is being dubbed the King’s Party in honour of the goalkeeper – who has been filmed sitting on a THRONE in a promotional video for the game.
In the video, posted on Boruc’s Twitter account, the 42-year-old is seen relaxing on a lavish golden throne, complete with sculptures of lions, in front of a set of goals.
Wearing a Legia top, the clip shows Boruc texting on his phone as the camera jilts to multiple angles, including close-ups of his goalie gloves.
At the end of the video text appears which says “SAVE THE DATE – 20.07.2022”

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KARAMOKO DEMBELE could be playing his football in Serie A next season. That’s according to a report in the Italian press today.
Karamoko Dembele during the Scottish Cup quarter final against Dundee United
La Gazetta dello Sport claims that Pantaleo Corvino, the director of football at newly-promoted Serie B champions Lecce, has held talks with the prospect, whose contract has expired in Glasgow.
Like that of many young talents at the Hoops this summer, Dembele’s future has been shrowded in uncertainty since the arrival of Ange Postecoglou.
The report claims that a big money contract worth £850,000 has been put on the table to persuade the youngster that he can be a key part of their team ahead of the Serie A push.
It’s unclear at this point if Celtic are resigned to losing the star but it appears likely that his future will be elsewhere.
The 19-year-old was the most highly-touted player to emerge from Scotland in years but he never quite made his big breakthrough into the Parkhead first-team.
There were high hopes in pre-season but he struggled for game time in the season just past with his chances hampered by a pre-season injury and an influx of new arrivals.
An appearance in a home win over St Mirren was one of his few during the campaign.
The arrival of the likes of Jota, Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada in the last two transfer windows has seen him drop down the pecking order, while James Forrest has a new deal and Mike Johnston has shown in flashes what he has to offer.
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The Hoops starlet has been on the fringes of the first-team of late and made a late sub appearance in recent home win over St Mirren.
Demebele first caught the imagination of Scottish football as a 13-year-old when he played the final nine minutes for the under-20 team.
He has been at the heart of a tug of war between Scotland and England youth set ups ensued as both associations looked to win over the next big thing.
He penned his first professional contract at 15 years old with Celtic in late 2018 and would make his first-team debut less than a year later.
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ROCKER Rod Stewart has pledged his support for cancer-stricken Andy Goram.The Celtic-daft singer has donated a VIP night to one of his upcoming gigs at the Glasgow Hydro in honour of the Rangers nine-in-a-row hero.
Rod Stewart has thrown his support behind the stricken Gers legendCredit: Reuters
Andy Goram is revered around IbroxCredit: Getty
Andy Goram lost four stone after being struck by the conditionCredit: Twitter
The VIP tickets – which include meeting Rod – will be auctioned off to raise funds to support the Gers legend.
Reported in the Daily Record, Rod reached out to Tam Cowan after the columnist joked about his off-key Platinum Jubilee party.
Tam, who is hosting the fundraiser, said: “He said he was hoarse because he was recovering from Covid.
“It’s amazing that he that has put up a meet and greet for Andy.
“Love a man who offers to help out for a good cause, Cheers Rod!”It is understood online bids have already reached £500.
The fundraiser for the Ibrox goalkeeper will take place at Airdrie Working Men’s Club on June 22.
Ex-Celt Frank McAvennie and other Old Firm legends are also expected to be in attendance.
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Goram revealed last month that he had been diagnosed with deadly disease.
He originally thought he was suffering from indigestion only to be told he had Level 4 oesophageal cancer at the end of April having lost 4 stone in four weeks.Doctors told him he had six months to live, which was later tragically cut to just six weeks.
Last week Goram was moved to St Andrew’s Hospice in Airdrie after receiving radiotherapy at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
He said last week: “My specialist recommended radiotherapy. I decided to take his professional advice. I’ve said from the start I’ll fight on until D-Day.
“If this radiotherapy on Tuesday and my follow-up treatment prolongs my life I’ll be able to see more of my family, friends and ex-teammates.
“It’ll give me the chance to spend more time with my two grandchildren. That’s my target.”
Goram added: “It’s all been very overwhelming but the people around me, everyone, my son Danny, have been great.”
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PREMIERSHIP referee Craig Napier says the ‘culture in Scottish football must change’ after revealing he is gay.The Category One whistler was followed by fellow Scottish ref Lloyd Wilson in coming out this morning.
Top ref Craig Napier
Napier admitted it wasn’t ever something he imagined opening up on but was inspired by recent stories.
Napier becomes the first figure within Scottish football to come out in a hugely significant step forward.
He admits it has been a difficult journey to reach this point and says while the topic shouldn’t be a news story, it remains important that others see prominent figures having the conversation.
Speaking with the Scottish FA, he said: “It’s something that I never thought I would be sitting here doing. It’s something I have lived with for a long time.
“It’s been a difficult journey to get to this point but over the past couple of years it has become easier.
“I think it is really important that people like me are willing to sit here and do this. I don’t think this needs to be a news story but I think at this moment it really does.
“We need to see the climate change so that people feel they can be their true self and live happily and comfortably in their own skin. That then needs to transcend into football.
“I think it’s been really inspiring to see what has happened recently. Josh Cavallo first of all then Jake Daniels more recently. Jake at just 17 announcing to everyone his sexuality and I think many people would take inspiration from that.
“But they might also think ‘I am not brave enough to take this step, what if my friends don’t accept me or my family rejects my sexuality?’
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“So what I wanted to add to the conversation was I have never had a bad experience when having these conversations.
“I have always felt so much lighter having spoken about it.
“This isn’t a conversation about me. It’s one about trying to change the culture in Scottish football. I can’t go back and change decisions I have made to get here but I feel I can pass on to others to not make the same mistakes.
“Don’t waste time you could spend with other people. Live your life as it is not something you can change.
“It’s a lot of wasted energy worrying about whether you will lose friends over it, whether you won’t get promoted in refereeing because of it or whether you won’t get selected for the first team because of it.
“We need to see the climate change so that people feel they can be their true self and live happily and comfortably in their own skin.”An important conversation with Category One referee Craig Napier. pic.twitter.com/bYygya2k23— Scottish FA (@ScottishFA) June 2, 2022

“I think people would be better served enjoying their life as their true self and that is the message I want people to take away.”
Wilson followed Napier in revealing his sexuality and said he no longer wanted to ‘live a lie’.
Wilson has had games in the lower leagues and cups and also served as a fourth official in the Premiership.
He told Back Onside: “This has been a horrific journey to be honest. A journey of maybe about 17 years of living a life that I didn’t want to live, living a lie. 
Whistler Lloyd Wilson
“Living the way that other people wanted me to live, or that I thought other people wanted me to live. Probably directed and dictated in many ways by football.
“The biggest worry for me was being judged differently from my colleagues who are not gay.
“I suppose being judged by fans for who I am off the field rather than who I am on it.
“At the end of the day I am a referee. I will get things right and I will get many things wrong, we all do because it’s the nature of the job.

“But I want to be judged for the decisions I make on the pitch and not those that I make off.
“I feel doing this interview, that I must say I am petrified about, is absolutely crucial for not just my colleagues, but also my colleagues who are players and suffering this same battle and journey that I have suffered.”
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KIERAN TIERNEY’S outstanding career clicked into gear from the moment he made his Celtic debut at just 17 in 2015.But it was a click of a different kind in his left knee in April that plunged the Arsenal hero into fresh injury torment.
Tierney celebrates with Scotland teammates
Tierney immediately feared the worst — that he would miss the Gunners’ intense final push for a Champions League place and Scotland’s crunch World Cup play-off against Ukraine.
Sadly, the gut-wrenching confirmation of what deep down he’d suspected during a routine gym session at his club’s training ground soon came with scan results.
Tierney would be out for possibly up to three months — sickening news also for club and country bosses Mikel Arteta and Steve Clarke.
But the inspirational defender responded like he always has to injury blows — there have been a few — which have tested his character over his seven years as a pro.
Massively motivated to come back earlier — and stronger.
Tierney was never going to make the clash at Hampden this week or indeed a possible play-off final in Wales on Sunday.
But his ferocious approach to punishing rehab has got him at least a week ahead of schedule to make Arsenal’s return to training at the end of June.
Tierney never moans about bad fortune or workloads that come with being a top-level star. Nor, for that matter, does he seek sympathy. Tierney just gets on with it — always fully appreciative of the privileged life he has.
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In his first in-depth interview since he was sidelined, he told SunSport: “We played Wolves at home in February and I felt something in my knee in the first half.
“I told the physios and we tested it. But it was fine and it also wasn’t that sore.
“I carried on playing for Arsenal, then reported for Scotland duty and played twice with no problems. I came back completely fine. Then I was doing some leg exercises in the gym and my left knee clicked.
“I instinctively felt it wasn’t right and that I should probably go for a scan.
“I wasn’t in any great pain. I’d played for Arsenal and we’d been winning, then for Scotland I got a goal and an assist. So there had been nothing to worry about after that Wolves match.
“But the scan result came back and suddenly I’m needing an op. It was so unfortunate.
“But after that click I just knew it wasn’t normal.
“The verdict was 12 weeks — and it was gutting when I realised the games I’d miss for Arsenal and Scotland. However, there was nothing I could do about it.
“Instantly, I just wanted to know from the specialist and the physios what it was going to take to get back quickly.
“Whenever I have been given a timeframe for recovery I’ve always aimed to get back earlier.
“I push myself as hard as I can, it’s the only way I know.
“It’s tough working full days in the gym on your own. But you’ve got to keep on pushing yourself. There’s no point feeling sorry for yourself. I don’t look for or expect sympathy from anyone. At the end of the day I’m lucky to be a footballer — and I never take anything for granted. I’m a NIGHTMARE for the physios. I’m always on at them to get me back quicker.
“And I’m a terrible spectator. Not being able to do anything to help the team, I hate it. My target is to be back for the end of June and the start of pre-season at Arsenal. I’m on course for that. My rehab’s going well.
“And I can’t give the Arsenal sports science, fitness and medical staff enough credit. They are absolutely top notch. I couldn’t wish for a better support set-up here.
“Mentally and physically, the club provides every possible back-up for the players.
“And I’m certainly not looking for any medals because I’m working hard. That’s just what footballers — indeed everybody in life — needs to do.”
Tierney does not know any other way to train or play than going at it full tilt.
Taking things a bit easier is a completely alien concept to him.
To some it is a possible reason why he has picked up injuries.
But Tierney is NOT for compromising his approach.
He said: “I’ve always been like that since my younger days. I’ve always had a worry of not wanting to cheat team-mates or the team overall.
“Giving everything is just my style and I enjoy it that way.
“Maybe I don’t do myself any favours at times.
“I remember Steve Clarke saying to me one day, ‘Kieran, sometimes you can chill, you know. Don’t worry, everybody already knows what type of player you are and what you can bring’.
“But I told him, ‘I can’t, it’s impossible for me’. Obviously, if I’ve got a niggle then I know I need to be careful.
“In my youth days, or coming through, I had it in my head that I wasn’t the best technically. So I felt I had to work even harder.
“It’s just stuck with me — and I can’t see me changing now. I’d end up feeling guilty if I ever eased up on things.”
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