Shocking:The stunning reason an ex-Celtic player left Chelsea to join Celtics is revealed.

Shocking:The stunning reason an ex-Celtic player left Chelsea to join Celtics is revealed.

In the Chelsea youth system in 2007, Furman, a midfielder from South Africa, was one of Rodgers’ brightest stars.

Furman acknowledges that Rodgers looked out for him even though he ended up on the other side of the Old Firm

than the Northern Irishman had intended because the route to the top club at Stamford Bridge was always

congested.

Naturally, Rodgers would go on to manage Celtic twice in the future, but he also sent the young midfield player north

into the unknown, hoping that he might eventually become a Hoop.

Furman signed on at the other end of Glasgow and never looked back.

In Walter Smith’s Rangers team, he says he had “class time” with players like Barry Ferguson, Steven Davis,

and Kevin Thomson.

He only appeared in one elite team match as a late-season substitute, but he still has great memories of Ibrox,

including a massive Old Firm win bonus.

And all of that was made possible by the unlikeliest transfer source.

He said on the podcast I Had Trials Once: “My young team’s coach, Brendan Rodgers, was amazing.

“And Brendan was connected to Celtic at the time.

“I went to Celtic after he sent me there, and I spent a week there having a terrific class week.

“I was taken around Murray Park and Ibrox by an agent I knew up there, who gave me a call.

“After two weeks, Rangers asked me to spend a week there, and at the conclusion of that week,

they essentially presented me with a contract.

“They said, ‘We understand you visited Celtic, but this is a contract.'”

There might have been some of that rivalry. I eventually signed with the Rangers, and I had a great time.

It was refined.”

During his three-year contract, Furman had an unforgettable experience: while his London-based pals were leaving for university in Manchester and Leeds,

he was travelling to Glasgow to play football.

And breathe a new air into the Old Firm atmosphere.

“My first Old Firm was singing You’ll never walk alone at Celtic Park,” he continued. It was incredible, but I’ve never been in awe.

“With an overhead kick by Ugo Ehiogu and bonuses for all of us, we won.

The first team’s incentive was roughly £1200 each game, compared to £4,000 for an Old Firm.

“As an 18-year-old sitting on the bench that was unbelievable.”

After leaving to play for Oldham, Furman did receive an extension offer from the Gers before his contract expired.

However, Furman acknowledged: “I was never going to play. They would have made a better offer if they actually wanted me to stay.

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