The Apprentice, Tom Rogic

The Apprentice may be coming to our TV screens in a few weeks, but Celtic’s Aussie Tom Rogic has what it takes to become the Hoops next star.

At 18 years of age, Rogic went through rigorous process, similar to the show but on a much wider scale. He was one of the eight selected to play for the Nike Football Academy having beat 75,000 hopefuls for a place in the coveted development system. Rogic then signed for Celtic from Central Coast Mariners in 2013 for a fee of £500,000.

After signing for the Hoops in 2013, he then went on to make eight appearances in his first season at the club. Though the season after started promisingly, he was then sent to Melbourne Victory on loan. It then started to become a nightmare for the midfielder who had an injury-plagued year, missing the World Cup for Australia.

However, the creative midfielder has sprung to life this season and has shown his technical ability, as well as creative spark. Now 22, Rogic was faced with the ultimatum of playing for his Celtic career. Ronny Deila insisted that the Aussie needed game time and pre-season became a stepping stone. From there on in, Rogic has played a big part in the Hoops domestic campaign but is yet to play a big part in the European Stage apart from a cameo appearance against Stjarnan.

So what has changed for the man from Australia? There was a reason why Neil Lennon signed the midfielder in the first place a few years ago. Now the fans are starting to see why he was bought. Rogic has some of the best players around him for support. Celtic may seem overloaded in the number 10 position but his performances this season have made him stick out as someone who is perfect to play in the role. Players like Kris Commons and Stefan Johansen have helped the Aussie with his general play but Rogic has a technical ability which neither of the two players have. He has the creativity and footwork to beat a player and skillfully execute his vast range of passing.

This was first shown in a pre-season fixture against Den Bosch, where he was able to dictate the play and be the creative force in Celtic’s midfield. Ever since he has played a part in Celtic’s line-up. He has also already equalled the number of appearances from his first spell at the club (seven) and one away from his second spell (eight) as well. In the seven games he has played in this season, he has two assists and netted three goals in the process, again showing that he is starting to blossom in the Celtic squad.

But as we know, the number 10 role isn’t always about scoring and assisting. It is about general gameplay. Getting into attacking positions and be a driving force in the team are all key aspects every manager looks at. Thankfully Deila did not sell the Aussie but has instead given him a chance to maximise his full potential.

Hopefully the “Apprentice” can become the next big star for Celtic. With Kris Commons not getting any younger and Stefan Johansen’s form being poor this season, Rogic may be the answer to Celtic’s creative puzzle. Now is his time for him to showcase his talents.