Australia assistant manager Rene Meulensteen talked a lot of sense when he discussed the current situation that Celtic’s Tom Rogic has found himself in. The midfielder has been a bit-part player at Celtic over the past 18 months or so, due to a mixture of injury problems and international commitments conflicting with his day job.
Rogic is a big Celtic hero for many supporters and is regarded by many inside the game as perhaps the most talented footballer in Scottish football in recent times. That remark can be argued by socially distancing football supporters in pubs up and down the country but there is no denying that the Australian international midfielder is clearly a top player.
Many have also noted that Celtic is the perfect place for Rogic to play his football. He is a creative player and benefits from being in a team that is always on the offensive, looking to win matches and usually succeeding in that endeavour. The ugly side of the game – so necessary these days – is not really something that you’d quickly associate Tom Rogic with, and this is something that Meulensteen touched upon as he discussed where the 27 year old could end up playing his football.
“I’m really quite surprised a Premier League club, or a top Championship team, or even a team elsewhere in Europe that’s pushing for Champions League or Europe League hasn’t come for him,” Meulensteen said, as reported in Daily Record.
That though is considering the outstanding football talent that Rogic possesses. A team with ambitions to get out of the Championship next season could do much worse that bring in the player Celtic fans regard as their Wizard of Oz, yet you’d worry if you supported that club that Rogic has become a luxury that even Celtic – with more trophies than the rest of British football over the last decade – can no longer accommodate. You’d have to ask why?
“He’s at a great age and has fantastic qualities and is tactically also very intelligent. Used well, in the right system, he can be a big asset for a lot of teams,” the Australian assistant manager continued. “Used well” and “in the right system” sounds like caveats that will be necessary. Sign Rogic only if you’re prepared to build your team around him.
Listen, there are worse ideas in the game than that and IF you can keep Rogic fit and on the park then you might just have the solution to getting out of that ultra competitive Championship and into the ‘promised land’ of the Premier League with all its riches. You will have noted the IF in that last sentence.
“He has Premier League quality, but you need to adapt in your mindset because stepping onto the pitch at Celtic you know you’re probably going to win. That’s not the case in the Premier League where you have to do far more without the ball and it’s a lot more demanding,” Meulensteen continued.
There’s the reason why players like Stuart Armstrong – who scored the equaliser in that Invincible Treble Winning season Scottish Cup Final before Rogic hit the glorious stoppage-time winner, could get a move to premiership strugglers and Rogic is probably unsuited to the same. Armstrong will run all day and operates reasonably successfully at that level despite being nowhere near as technically gifted as Rogic.
“It’s about being adaptable and deciding to graft every day in training because there are no easy games at that level. I don’t see an issue with Tom being able to do that and perhaps he does have other things on the table.
Rene Meulensteen obviously hasn’t watched Celtic at Kilmarnock or Dundee Utd if he reckons that Celtic have it easy in the Scottish Premiership. But Rogic was available for selection in these games yet got zero minutes, amid rumours of an imminent £4m transfer to Qatar and the arrival of David Turnbull for £3m from Motherwell.
“But if Qatar has come calling then there will also be a financial benefit for him in what is probably an under-rated and under-appreciated competition.
“The standard of the league in Qatar has jumped in recent years and they’ve invested heavily in local talent and not just foreigners. Top players like Xavi and Ronald de Boer played there, and so many others,” Rene continued. Money is a consideration, of course it will be excellent but the football standards, that’s a harder sell.
“The stadiums are new, getting around is easy in a small country and the league is played when the heat’s not so bad. In terms of resources and environment, it’s excellent, and I don’t think Tom’s game would suffer by going there,” he added.
Yes, game time is crucial. maybe the football itself will be easier on those knees and Qatar is also much closer to home. But the pull of Celtic remains strong for Rogic, always has done really.
“Tom’s been at Celtic a long time. He loves the club and has won a lot of trophies there. I’ve asked him previously whether he’d like to move to the Premier League but I think he’s always been content at Celtic.
“Don’t forget they’re a huge club and you can never under-estimate winning, it’s the greatest feeling. You can never get enough. But now, where he’s limited with his game time, he might see this as an opportunity to try something different.”
Playing for Celtic would probably be what Rogic would want most of all but not getting a game and with other midfielders arriving, it’s going to be obvious that the time is right to look elsewhere. Neil Lennon will be straight with Rogic if and when they have that conversation. If the Wizard of Oz is no longer in the plans then sadly it will be time for Tom Rogic to go.
Also on THE CELTIC STAR…Let us Entertain – “Ah’m nae a Celtic fan bit ah fair like the way that Celtic play their football“
