Profoundly religious, he likes to quote Galatians 1:10: “Am I trying to win the approval of human beings or God? If I were still trying to please people I would not be a servant of Christ.” Before each game, he kneels on the goalline, opens his arms wide and prays. “I’ll keep doing it even if people insult me, calling me a gilipollas [dickhead],” he said.