SCOTT MCDONALD has backed Tom Rogic to come good following a tough year of injuries and spells out of the starting XI. Rogic was injured following the Scottish Cup Final in 2019 requiring surgery, which ruled him out until September. The midfielder then was forced to rehab meaning Ryan Christie propelled himself as first choice attacking midfielder as Rogic was forced to watch from the sidelines.
As reported by The Daily Record, McDonald believes that Rogic can force himself back into Neil Lennon’s reckoning as the Scottish Champions go for an unprecedented 10IAR. The 27-year-old
“Tom Rogic is facing a tough task now to break back in the way Neil Lennon has the team set up. But he’s had so much experience now at a certain level that Lennon knows he can bring him on and he can change a game.
“Whether or not Tommy starts ever again week-in, week-out for Celtic is a big question. I’m not sure that happens but, regardless, I think he’ll see out his contract.
“Nobody is moving anywhere bar loans in the next transfer window because nobody’s going to have money to buy. And Celtic won’t let Tommy go for nothing, so he’ll have to sit and fight for his place.”
McDonald, who spent two and a half years with Celtic, believes that Rogic is happy at Celtic – despite his lack of game time last season. Rogic was limited to just 22 appearances but in a few appearances, he proved how he could change a game with his technical ability.
“But I think he’s very happy there – the times I’ve met him, it’s clear he loves the club. You see the adulation he gets even when he walks down the street.
“The excitement and rivalry you have there with Rangers…it’s hard to leave all that behind.
“The system Celtic are playing right now doesn’t work in Tommy’s favour – they’re playing two up front, rather than the 4-3-3 formation they had previously. So they don’t really need a creative, attacking player in behind the two. They don’t really have the two sitters and a number ten anymore.
“But things can change very quickly in football as we all know. Neil Lennon knows he has to adapt and change to bring more success, and we’ll see in the pre-season what he does.
“You start performing and all of a sudden you get picked every week.”
Rogic has proven himself to be a man for the big occasions over the years and hopefully as Celtic go for 10IAR, Rogic will be at the centre of the push to surpass the record set by Jock Stein in 1974. Neil Lennon opted for 3-5-2 last season but could potentially change towards a 4-3-3 next season again, both giving Rogic ample opportunities to force himself back into the starting XI.
