TOM ROGIC played in Celtic’s thrilling Boxing Day 4-3 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie then was prevented from participating in the Glasgow Derby on 29 December by the Australian team manager Graham Arnold.
Instead of playing at Ibrox Rogic had to board a flight to meet up with his Socceroos teammates at a training camp in Dubai ahead of the Asia Cup.
A weakened Celtic lost that day and Rogic eventually returned from the Asia Cup carrying a wrist injury. He was sent for a scan which was positive but while there also had his previous knee injury looked at and that need surgery.
So Rogic was out for most of the rest of the season, although did come back in the latter stages of the season but failed to show his real form. He was last seen in a Celtic shirt at the Scottish Cup Final on 25 May, where he was once again unconvincing and was substituted after 70 minutes.
So far this season Rogic has been sidelined with injury making 2019 a year of frustration for him so far. He’s just returned to training with the squad but is still a good bit behind the rest of the Celtic squad and isn’t anywhere near ready to return to play for Celtic.
So today’s news that Australia are going to call him up and have him playing international football is hardly good news for Celtic. Australia get their World Cup campaign underway when they play Kuwait a week on Tuesday and Arnold is adamant that Rogic will be in his squad.
The Socceroos boss explained: “We’re still monitoring Tommy and keeping an eye on him, but we think he will be fit for the match in Kuwait.
“He’s a big part of what we do and we always expect him to be ready to play for us.
“He has great commitment to the Socceroos, but overall he’s a great player for us and we expect he’ll be fit as soon as possible,” Arnold said to the media, as reported by Scottish Sun.
Tom Rogic stepped up his return from injury by joining in full training today.
(Image: SNS) pic.twitter.com/IfjNA1Vp57
— CelticBible (@CelticBible) August 21, 2019
Rogic, who has represented his country 46 times and scored nine goals, signed a new long term contract at Celtic last autumn, but has so far failed to justify the faith shown in him by the club.
Steve Clarke has given Leigh Griffiths time to get back into the groove at Celtic before including him in his Scotland squad. Maybe Graham Arnold should take a similar approach with Tom Rogic? Or Celtic should just tell him than Rogic isn’t fit and won’t travel.
Also on The Celtic Star…
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Flag Warning! Willo Flood had a Transfer Window named after him and a League title was lost…see HERE.
‘Turning point for Billy McNeill’s Centenary Celts,’ If you know the history – Celtic at birth, 50 & 100: August 1988…see HERE.
David Potter on Tangled Up in Blue, Stephen O’Donnell on Rangers’ attempts to Conquer Europe…see HERE.
