JUST over a year ago Tom Rogic was playing for Australia in the Asia Cup. He’d starred for Celtic in a vital 4-3 win up at Pittodrie on Boxing Day but was forced by his national team manager to head out to Dubai to meet up with his international teammates ahead of the January 2019 competition. That meant he missed Celtic’s visit to Ibrox on 29 December 2018, where given Morelos was given a free rein to kick anyone that moved in green and white by referee John Beaton, the big Aussie genius would probably have picked up an injury.
He did that anyway in the Asia Cup and since then he’s struggled for fitness and a run in the Celtic team. Rogic is a big guy, it takes him time to get into his stride and we’ve only had fleeting glimpses of the magic in his twinkle toes over the past year. Against Hamilton, he gave us a reminder of what we’ve missed.
Yesterday Neil Lennon, who is often accused of being reluctant or slow to use his bench in games, got his three substitutions bang on and all three players who came on – Jonny Hayes, Ryan Christie and of course Tom Rogic – contributed to the second half goals that game Celtic a comfortable 4-1 win in the end.
Make no mistake that game was anything but comfortable for 75 minutes until Hayes’ hunger and Christie’s great delivery gave Christopher Jullien the chance to finish sweetly. What was he doing up there anyway?
Then Tom Rogic and Odsonne Edouard combined beautifully for Celtic’s third goal that guaranteed the win and the Magnificent Seven points advantage in the league title race.
Jonny Hayes is a quality squad player, deserving of a new deal. No-one knows that better than Neil Lennon. Hayes and Taylor seem to be the two left backs/wing backs who are in the manager’s plans.
Christie showed his class with that delivery – once again he is the provider supreme for Jullien’s goals for Celtic.
But it was Tom Rogic’s pass and the role he played in the magical skills on display from Odsonne Edouard that was the top moment of the day. Rogic and indeed Christie give Celtic even more quality in the middle of the park as we approach the business end of the season. And Ismaila Soro must have been impressed at the quality of Celtic’s bench as he watched on. You wonder what he thought of that Hamilton playing surface?
Here are some other supporters raving about Rogic, it’s great to have him and Ryan Christie
back!
Rogic’s short, angled pass for Edouard’s second goal was absolutely sublime. Few players would have envisioned that was even on.
Rogic is vital to Celtic when facing teams defending en masse in and around the penalty box.
Fitting him into the team is the conundrum. https://t.co/KOZKWIjatz— Brian McNally (@McNallyMirror) February 3, 2020
Edouard
⬇️
Rogic
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Edouard
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You know the rest 😏📺 Watch #CelticTV‘s Unique Angle of @Oedouard22‘s second goal – Full video coming tomorrow! #HAMCEL pic.twitter.com/lujCxIvKhi
— Celtic TV (@CelticTV) February 2, 2020
What a difference a bit of creativity with Christie and rogic makes. When fit 1 of the 2 has to be part of that midfield 3.
3rd goal was outstanding
— Liam Kelly (@cfcliamk96) February 2, 2020
Watching the highlights back from today.
Edouard’s feet, awareness and movement for the 3rd & 4th goals is just phenomenal.
Timing of Rogic’s pass for the 3rd is sublime too.
Eventually got the real quality the game was lacking until then.
— Paul (@PaulMcT7) February 2, 2020
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