Łukasz Załuska

Łukasz Załuska (Polish pronunciation: [ˈwukaʂ zaˈwuska]; born 16 June 1982) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Łukasz Załuska
Załuska with Korona Kielce in 2006
Personal information
Full name Łukasz Załuska
Date of birth (1982-06-16) 16 June 1982
Place of birth Wysokie Mazowieckie, Poland
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Poland U19 (goalkeeping coach)
Youth career
1997–1998 Ruch Wysokie Mazowieckie
1998–2000 MSP Szamotuły
2000 Sparta Oborniki
2000–2001 Zryw Zielona Góra
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Stomil Olsztyn 3 (0)
2002–2004 Legia Warsaw 0 (0)
2004 → Jagiellonia Białystok (loan) 16 (0)
2004–2007 Korona Kielce 15 (0)
2007–2009 Dundee United 53 (0)
2009–2015 Celtic 28 (0)
2015–2016 Darmstadt 98 1 (0)
2016–2017 Wisła Kraków 28 (0)
2017–2019 Pogoń Szczecin 60 (0)
2019–2020 Miedź Legnica 33 (0)
Total 237 (0)
International career
2009 Poland 1 (0)
Managerial career
2022–2023 Poland U20 (goalkeeping coach)
2023– Poland U19 (goalkeeping coach)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

After playing for Stomil Olsztyn, Legia Warsaw, Jagiellonia Białystok (on loan) and Korona Kielce in Poland, Załuska continued his career in Scotland, joining Dundee United in 2007. He then signed for Celtic in 2009, spending six years mainly as a back-up goalkeeper, before joining Darmstadt 98 in 2015. He has made one international appearance for Poland, in 2009.

Following retirement, he became a goalkeeping coach for Poland youth national teams, and he is currently part of the coaching staff of Poland U19.[1]

Club career

In Poland

Born in Wysokie Mazowieckie, Załuska began his career in 1997 with Ruch Wysokie Mazowieckie but left within a few months to join MSP Szamotuły. After a year, he moved on to Sparta Oborniki, before spending time with Zryw Zielona Góra. In 2001, Załuska moved to Stomil Olsztyn and made his first appearance in the Ekstraklasa in August 2001. In 2002, he joined Legia Warsaw but made no appearances for the club. From here, he had two loan spells with Jagiellonia Białystok before joining Korona Kielce in 2004. Załuska spent two years with Kielce, culminating in a Polish Cup runners-up medal in just before moving to Scotland in May 2007.

Dundee United

Załuska joined Scottish Premier League team Dundee United on a two-year contract on 30 May 2007.[2] He played in pre-season for United but suffered a broken foot before the start of the domestic season,[3] prompting the club to sign countryman Grzegorz Szamotulski as a short-term replacement.[4] After returning to training in late October, it was feared Załuska had broken his foot a second time in early November.[5] Załuska finally made his competitive debut for United on 26 January 2008,[6] just days before Szamotulski's departure. United won 2–1 in what was captain Barry Robson's final match for the club.

In February 2008, after helping United beat Aberdeen in the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup, Załuska was reported to the Scottish Football Association (SFA) for making gestures to the Aberdeen fans. In the match, both keepers faced missiles thrown by sets of opposing fans, including plastic cups, chocolate and £1 coins. Referee Iain Brines was also hit by a coin thrown from the Aberdeen supporters' end.[7] A month later, Załuska received a £500 fine and a warning from the SFA for his actions.[8]

On 17 December 2008, it was reported that he had declined a new contract and would be leaving the club at the end of the season after the current one expires.[9]

Celtic

On 23 December 2008, Załuska signed a pre-contract agreement with Celtic and would be joining at the start of the 2009–10 season.[10] He officially became a Celtic player on 1 June 2009. He made his debut on 21 September 2009, in a 4–0 League Cup victory over Falkirk.[11] On 25 October 2009, he made his league debut for the Hoops against Hamilton Academical as a replacement for his injured compatriot Artur Boruc and pulled off several saves in a 2–1 win.[12] On 10 April 2010, Zaluska played in a Scottish Cup semi final for Celtic at Hampden Park which they lost 2–0 to Ross County.[13]

At the start of the 2010–11 season Załuska became Celtic's first choice goalkeeper after Boruc left for Italian side Fiorentina. However Celtic signed Fraser Forster on loan from Newcastle United and Załuska once again became second choice goalkeeper.[14][15]

At the start of the 2011–12 season he became Celtic's first choice goalkeeper after Forster returned to Newcastle United. He started the opening SPL game against Hibernian, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory.[16][17] However, Celtic's re-signing of Forster on loan again pushed Załuska down the pecking order. On 29 September, Załuska started in the Europa League against Udinese. Although he played well and made several good saves, the match finished 1–1 with Udinese scoring from a penalty.[18]

After Forster was sold to Southampton,[19] the recently acquired Craig Gordon established himself as first choice for season 2014–15.[20] In October 2014, he was injured in an apparent assault in Ashton Lane, in Glasgow's West End.[21] Having only made two league starts by October,[20] Zaluska kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 league defeat of Inverness CT on 1 November 2014.[22] Załuska, an used substitute in the 2015 Scottish League Cup Final victory,[23] did come off the bench in a Scottish Cup semi final defeat to Inverness on 19 April 2015. With Craig Gordon sent off in the second half for a last man challenge, Zaluska could not stop the resulting penalty to make it 1–1, Celtic would go on to lose 3–2 in extra time.[24] He next played at McDiarmid Park keeping a clean sheet with a string of fine saves in a 0–0 league draw.[25] He left Celtic in June 2015.[26]

Darmstadt 98

On 31 August 2015, Załuska joined SV Darmstadt 98, newly promoted to the Bundesliga, on a contract until 30 June 2016 as their third keeper behind Christian Mathenia and Patrick Platins.

Pogoń Szczecin

On 9 June 2017, he signed a contract with Pogoń Szczecin.[27]

International career

Załuska was called up to the Poland squad for the first time in August 2008, following Artur Boruc's suspension,[28] although he remained unused. He was called up again in November, with Boruc missing due to injury. He won his first international cap on 6 June 2009, against South Africa.

Honours

Celtic

References
  1. "Reprezentacja U-19 - Sztab szkoleniowy" (in Polish). Polish Football Association. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  2. "Zaluska signing confirmed". Dundee United FC. 30 May 2007.
  3. "Zaluska setback for Dundee United". BBC Sport. 20 July 2007.
  4. "Levein nets new Polish goalkeeper". BBC Sport. 25 July 2007.
  5. "Foot injury nightmare for United keeper". The Courier. 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on 10 November 2007. Retrieved 6 November 2007.
  6. "Kilmarnock 1–2 Dundee United". BBC Sport. 26 January 2008.
  7. "SFA to consider Zaluska gestures". BBC Sport. 8 February 2008.
  8. "Zaluska fined". Dundee United FC. 18 March 2008.
  9. Robert Thomson (18 December 2008). "Zaluska bound for Celtic after rejecting new Tannadice deal". The Scotsman. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  10. "Celtic confirm deal for Zaluska". BBC Sport. 23 December 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  11. Falkirk 0 – 4 Celtic BBC Sport, 21 September 2009
  12. "Hamilton 1–2 Celtic". BBC Sport. 25 October 2009.
  13. Celtic 0 – 2 Ross County BBC Sport,10 April 2010
  14. Warsaw bid for Lukasz Zaluska Evening Times, 9 December 2010
  15. Celtic v Hamilton preview Sky Sports, 4 March 2011
  16. "Hibernian 0–2 Celtic". BBC Sport. 24 July 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  17. "Celtic 5–1 Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  18. "Celtic 1–1 Udinese". BBC Sport. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  19. Fraser Forster moves from Celtic to Southampton for £10 million to boost Saints The Telegraph. 10 August 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  20. Celtic's Lukasz Zaluska assaulted in Glasgow Sky Sports. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  21. Bhardwaj, Raman. "Celtic's Lukasz Zaluska attacked in street by Premiership player". STV. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  22. Celtic 1 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0: Understudy goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska gets in on the act Herald Scotland. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  23. Dundee United 0-2 Celtic BBC Sport. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  24. Lindsay, Clive (19 April 2015). "Inverness CT 3-2 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  25. Southwick, Andrew (15 May 2015). "St Johnstone 0-0 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  26. Cameron, Neil (17 June 2015). "Lukasz Zaluska leaves Celtic after six years". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  27. "Łukasz Załuska w Pogoni" (in Polish). 90minut. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  28. "International call ups". Dundee United FC. 25 August 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2008.
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