Move over Zbigniew Boniek, there is a new Polish sheriff in town and that man’s name is Kamil Glik, captain, defender and goal-getter at Torino.
During Boniek’s Serie A heyday in the 1980s, the most league goals he could manage was seven in 1985-86 during his time with Roma; and that was from a more attacking position than Glik’s berth at the centre of defence, where he oversees his colleagues with exceptional assurance.
Following last weekend’s goal for Glik away to Atalanta, not only has Glik equalled the record of goals in a single Serie A campaign for a Polish player, but he has done so in six fewer matches and is now the highest scoring defender in European football this season.
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He will now have his sights set on breaking the records of Marco Materazzi, who despite all of the controversy that surrounded him throughout his colourful career, was always an attacking threat.
‘Matrix’ scored 12 times for Perugia in 2000-01 and reached double figures again for Inter in the 2006-07 campaign, while there were eight goals from the back for Fiorentina’s Daniel Passarella in the 1980s.
To help him in his quest, there have been calls from Toro fans for the 27-year-old to take over penalty kick duties. Owing to the problems Torino have had in that particular exercise this season, and Glik showing his composure from the spot in pre-season, that idea is indeed not the worst in the world.
After all, of the 22 Materazzi goals mentioned, half of those came from penalties while only three of Argentina star Passarella’s goals did not come from the spot. Glik’s record not only puts fellow defenders to shame, but others whose trade it is to score.
Inter hotshot Rodrigo Palacio has a record this season of a goal every 372 minutes. For Mario Gomez of Fiorentina, that stands at one every 316 minutes of action. Glik, however, hits the net every 294 minutes.
Those are the kind of statistics most centre-forwards would happily want beside their name. The player himself though, remains modest about his rich vein of goal-scoring form.
“It is of great satisfaction to me but my goal is about giving more and more and trying to bring more points to the team.”
But it is not just in attack where Glik is pivotal to the Granata and their cause.
He has undoubtedly progressed perhaps beyond his wildest dreams from the player who had modest spells in his homeland and Spain, with Horadda and Real Madrid ‘C’, before finally moving to Italy and catching the attention of current coach Giampiero Ventura during a spell on loan at Bari from the Rosanero.
Four years ago, he made the move to Turin and has been a precious piece of the furniture ever since. An incredibly popular player with fans, he has taken on the mantle of terrace hero after the departure of Rolando Bianchi.
How many players do you know in Serie A with their own rap song? Glik is one, after Turin-based music artist Willie Peyote dedicated the song ‘Glik’ to him in 2013.
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And it contains gems within the lines such as its catchy hook which tells of “overpaid jocks” like Alessandro Matri and Marco Borriello and how listeners should “remain hardcore like Glik”.
Torino’s only worry about their captain will be, like with so many of their major stars recently, keeping hold of him.
In summer 2013, they rejected a €6 million bid from Borussia Dortmund for him. Now there is increasing speculation that Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur would be willing to pay up to €11m for his services, with whisperings coming out of Torino President Urbano Cairo’s entourage suggesting he will go nowhere for a penny less than €9m.
The player himself though may want to stay. He is captain (the first ever foreigner to attain the honour) of a big club where is revered, and he knows it too.
“Being the captain here is not simply about wearing a piece of cloth on your shoulder.
“The fans ask so much of you and it is not always easy to live up to it, but they have confidence in me. It is an honour for me. Recently, I told sporting director Gianluca Petrachi that I do not want to move. I have a contract here for the next two seasons.”
Leave the final word on him to Boniek, the compatriot who he is now usurping in Italy.
“He has matured and this year has been sensational, losing weight and gaining muscle mass. In Turin, he is happy and respected.”
Idolo