Socceroo and Celtic FC midfielder Tomas Rogic, who is a contender for the PFA Scotland’s Player of the Year award, said he was happy that manager Ange Postecoglou was finally receiving the recognition he deserved for guiding the team to six points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table with five games remaining.
Rogic, who had joined Celtic from Central Coast Mariners in 2013 (and was briefly loaned to Melbourne Victory 2014-15) said teammates came to him to find out more about the Australian coach when the news leaked last year that Postecoglou would be taking over from Neil Lennon, following his successful four-year stint with Yokohama F Marinos in Japan.
Rogic had played as a Socceroo under Postecoglou and knew a thing or two more about the manager than the rest of Scotland.
“Having worked with him previously, a number of boys asked ‘what’s he like?’ and I was happy to share my thoughts and opinions,” Rogic told Scottish media yesterday.
The website Celticway.co.uk reported that while he was aware of the skepticism with which many greeted Postecoglou’s appointment in June last year, Rogic knew the Greek-Australian had what was needed to lift Celtic after a disastrous season under Lennon when the they finished a distant 25 points behind the champions and Glasgow rivals Rangers.
“I laugh sometimes when I look back because although I knew him quite well, I think there was a perception of ‘he’s from Australia, from the other side of the world, who is this guy?’
“People have found out pretty quickly that he’s good at what he does and there’s a reason the club brought him here.
“Football’s a funny game and it doesn’t always work how you expect, but having worked with him I knew the way he goes about managing so I was quietly confident he’d be a success here.
“I know it’s easy to say that now, but as a player I would say he’s a top manager and it’s nice to see him get the recognition he deserves.
“It’s been good having him here. He’s a fantastic manager. Everyone can see the style of football we’re playing, the success we’ve had to date and will hopefully have in the future.
“I worked with him for four or five years in the national team so I knew him better than any of the other boys in the team, but working with him day to day and experiencing the intensity of working under him every day has been something I’ve enjoyed.