Celtic manager Neil Lennon has revealed he expects new signing Tom Rogic to be ‘invaluable’ as the season goes on, comparing the young Australian to Roy Keane.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has revealed he expects new signing Tom Rogic to be ‘invaluable’ as the season goes on, comparing the young Australian to Roy Keane.
Rogic was officially unveiled as a Celtic player on Friday having arrived back in Scotland after a trip to Australia to finalise his transfer from Central Coast Mariners, a move the 20-year-old playmaker told Fox Sports ‘felt right from the start’.
While Lennon ruled out selecting Rogic for Celtic’s Scottish Cup match away to Raith Rovers on Sunday, the 41-year-old Irish manager claimed the Australian has the potential to quickly develop into a top-quality player just like one of Ireland’s most famous players.
“I think he has had a meteoric rise but long may that continue,” Lennon said.
“We are not saying he is the great white hope or anything like that but I think he will be invaluable as the season goes on and, over the next two or three years, we hope he blossoms into the player we hope he can be.
“There are times you get late developers who go on to have fantastic careers.
“Roy Keane was playing at (Irish club) Cobh Ramblers and a couple of months later Brian Clough gave him his debut (for Nottingham Forest) at Anfield against Liverpool and Roy didn’t look back.
“Tom has matured, physically, although I think he has a little bit more to come in that aspect but athletically and football-wise, for his age, he is very good.”
Rogic’s rise from playing for Belconnen United in the amateur ACT Premier League to one of Europe’s most well-known clubs in two years is one of the best stories in Australian football’s recent history.
The attacking midfielder, who did enough in just 28 matches for Central Coast to have Celtic and a number of English Premier League clubs chasing his signature during the January transfer window, agrees it has been a whirlwind couple of years.
“It sounds quite bizarre and I guess, in a way, unheard of, so to be here now after playing local league two years ago, it’s been a very good journey,” Rogic said.
Rogic was keen to emphasise he should not be expected to make an immediate breakthrough into Celtic’s first team but with a two-legged European Champions League tie against Juventus coming up over the next five weeks, the attacking midfielder admitted ‘you can set yourself big goals’.
Despite having been linked with Premier League clubs Reading and Queens Park Rangers, Rogic claimed Celtic ‘just felt so right’ in a possible swipe at critics of his decision to move to Scotland.
“I mean the decision in the end is down to me, I’ve got a lot of advice, a lot of people have helped me throughout my career but from the moment I got here, from the vibes and feedback I got back from the coaches and the players here, it just felt so right,” Rogic said.
“I’m just really happy to be here.”
