RONNY Deila last night tipped Tom Rogic to establish himself in the Celtic first team after the Australian internationalist netted his first goal for the Scottish champions in their 2-0 victory over Partick Thistle at Firhill.
Deila has even refused to rule out the possibility of the 22-year-old having a role to play in the Parkhead club’s Champions League play-off matches against Malmo of Sweden later on this month.
Rogic has struggled with injuries and disappointing form since arriving in this country from Central Coast Mariners at the beginning of 2013 and yesterday was his first start since a shock League Cup defeat to Morton at Celtic nearly two years ago.
The attacking midfielder grasped the opportunity firmly with both hands by netting an instinctive strike in the first half of a one-sided match his team won to move to the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership on goal difference.
Deila is a huge admirer of the skilful player and believes he is finally poised to fulfil his huge potential in the 2015/16 campaign.
“He was very good in the first 40 minutes,” said the Norwegian. “You can see what kind of talent he is. His touch on the ball, his awareness, his scanning, his understanding; there are a lot of things he can give to the team. I think we will see much more of him.
“When I came here I didn’t know who he was. He was injured the whole time, one year out with injury almost. When we got him started again I saw he had something special, his touch, his understanding, that he is a very good football player. I said to him that he would never leave this football club before he gets a real chance.
“I think now he shows that he deserves a chance. He is also a very good professional. He wants to develop all of the time and he is not satisfied to sit on the bench. So he has a lot to give to us.”
“Everybody gets a chance. They have every day to show themselves. I am after improvement, people who want to get better, people who want to learn and have ambitions. I saw early that Tom had that. He has the mentality to succeed.
“He has already been on the bench in the Champions League and he is an option for the team if he shows what he did today.”
Brown was left out of the Celtic squad yesterday due to a hamstring strain and Stuart Armstrong came off midway through the first half with a groin injury. Deila, however, is unconcerned about the physical condition of the midfield pair ahead of the double header with Malmo.
“He (Brown) has played every second of every match before today and has done a lot of running in the past few weeks,” he said.
“He was stiff in his hamstring and had a small cramp at the end of the Qarabag game. So he needed to miss this game and maybe the next one as well (Celtic take on Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in the league on Wednesday). We will see what we do with him. After that, he will be very ready again.
“Armstrong was stiff and tight in the groin before the game. We should maybe have rested him. I wanted to play and that was a bad decision.
“But it is nothing serious and he will back on Wednesday or maybe next Saturday. If he is stiff, he is not good enough for the team. If you are only 90 per cent, you have nothing to do on the pitch.”
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