Thomas Rogne's development at Celtic this term mirrors that of his team

Hugh Macdonald

Chief Sports Writer

Friday 24 February 2012

THE rehabilitation of Thomas Rogne almost mirrors the resurrection of the Celtic team.

Thomas Rogne has established himself as a regular presence in Celtic's back four. Picture: SNS

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Hugh MacDonald

Inexperienced, prone to moments of hesitancy and cursed by injury, Rogne was condemned not to fulfil immediately the potential that was an undoubted part of his make-up.

The same could have been just months ago of Neil Lennon's side. However, like the team, the 21-year-old Norwegian has been buffeted by experience but is now on the cusp of a marvellous graduation from a painful education. The central defender is now an integral part of a side that stands on the brink of a championship, is a matter of three victories away from a William Hill Scottish Cup triumph and one from lifting the Scottish Communities League Cup. He will also make his international debut next week against Northern Ireland. Coach Egil Olsen predicts it will be the ''first of many'' appearances for the rangy but strong defender.

Rogne also epitomises the Celtic side in that he shares the almost pathological desire not to speak of any victory before it is gained. The ban on treble talk is such that Rogne almost restricted himself to giving his name, rank and serial number when presented yesterday to the media to highlight the club's Show Racism the Red Card initiative.He slowly relaxes to reveal that he is keen to extend a contract that expires at the end of next season, to state who should be playing centre-half for Scotland and to discuss the cooking arrangements in the flat he shares with Morten Rasmussen, the Danish striker, and Dominic Cervi, the American goalkeeper. For the record, it is Cervi who serves up the dishes but Rogne does not envisage leaving Glasgow soon as did another flat-mate in Jos Hooiveld, the Dutch defender who is now playing a prominent part in Southampton's tilt at the Barclay's Premier League."I like it here and I'm very happy to stay – hopefully I can stay here for a long time," said Rogne. Obstinately reticent about predicting immediate success, he is more than optimistic about the potential of a Celtic squad that creaks with the promise of youth. "Hopefully, we can keep the players together," he said. "We're quite a young team and once we get to know each other better we can develop even more."Rogne was entitled to entertain doubts as his Celtic career buckled under injury and he was part of a defence that was routinely criticised. The most illustrative statistic about the centre-half is that in the two years since he signed from Stabaek in his homeland he has played only 30 matches. Yet his manager, Neil Lennon, has always quietly insisted that Rogne had the strength and technique to be an outstanding defender for the club."I knew it would be tough to come to a big club like Celtic, but I always felt it was the right call to come here,'' said Rogne. "There are still many things that I can learn here on top of what I've already learned. Hopefully I can stay here longer and keep improving."Rogne has shown power in the air and an increasing certainty in the tackle but there has been regular doubts about his fitness. He suffered a cruciate ligament injury in his teens and has been beset by recurrent, debilitating niggles. "The main problem for me here has been my run with injury,'' he admitted. ''I've had a few setbacks, but in the last few months I've been feeling good and it's been like a new beginning.''This renaissance has been matched by that of his defensive team-mate Charlie Mulgrew, who has grown into a substantial player at the age of 25. The memory of Mulgrew giving away a dreadful goal against Kilmarnock in November has been replaced by his subsequent performances as a commanding central defender, an adventurous full-back and an increasingly regular goal scorer. Mulgrew has now also been introduced to the Scotland squad for the match in Slovenia next week. "Charlie's been excellent since the first day I saw him," Rogne said. "He's such a good player and I try to learn from him every day. He should play for Scotland every time. You can say he's developing into a complete defender."Rogne is determined to continue his personal development. "That would be a great feeling and a great achievement," he said of the prospect of his first cap. "It would also be an inspiration to keep going and work harder."He added: "It's a big year. First of all I think about Celtic. We've got an exciting end of the season. I don't really think about the national team too much. If I'm in the squads I'll be delighted but it's not my main focus. My main focus is Celtic and what remains of the season here."Rogne, who spoke warmly of the atmosphere in the squad, is not quite ready to talk of achievement. "I've done well so far in 2012 and hopefully I can keep that going," he said. "There's no reason to lose the head as there are still a lot of things to achieve."The defender did not play in the Scottish Cup final win over Motherwell last May and so is still seeking his first medal at the club. "I don't think I've achieved anything yet," he said. It a recurrent Rogne theme. It will not survive this season.

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Thomas Rogne's development at Celtic this term mirrors that of his team

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