‘Tom Rogic has been massive for the club... he has a place in Celtic’s history’

James Forrest hails Aussie playmaker who could be set to leave Parkhead after seven trophy-laden years

Tom Rogic, left, and James Forrest have enjoyed plenty of success as Celtic team-mates. Picture: SNS

So many players and coaches have come and gone at Celtic during James Forrest’s silverware-strewn decade in the club’s senior set-up he could be blase about bidding departing colleagues adieu. Not with Tom Rogic, though.

It appears that the Australian playmaker could be in the final throes of his time in Scotland, with a £4 million bid from an unnamed Qatari side likely to see the end of the 27-year-old’s seven-year stay with Celtic. His career may have stalled in the past 18 months, with injury and Ryan Christie’s emergence reducing his outings and output. But for all the time he spent sidelined with fitness issues, and for all that he took two seasons to break into the side, the magisterial moments conjured up by a supremely gifted footballer will not be forgotten. Least of all by friend Forrest, who was often right by Rogic’s side as he crafted stupendous matchwinning strikes – way beyond the closing seconds Scottish Cup final clincher that secured the “invincibles” treble of 2016-17.

“I’ve hit it off really well off the park with Tom and on the park we’ve played really well together,” said Forrest. “He’s got loads of great memories with Celtic and won lots of stuff. He’s been a great player over the years. I don’t know what’s going to happen, whether he’s going to stay or go, but either way he’s been massive for the club over the years.”

Rogic’s place in Celtic’s annals is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that his 14 winners’ medals are just shy of the combined hauls of Henrik Larsson and Paul McStay. Moreover, only nine players made more appearances for the club during this current title run that Neil Lennon’s men are bidding to take into unprecedented territory this season with a tenth straight championship.

“He has a place in Celtic’s history, the last couple of years especially,” said Forrest, with Rogic integral to the remarkable 11 consecutive domestic trophies the club have 
gobbled up. “Obviously he worked hard over the first few years to get to that place. Everyone here hopes he stays but if he doesn’t it’s definitely been a positive few years in his career.” The positives for Celtic in the 6-0 thumping of KR Reykjavik were plentiful. And for once the absence of supporters added to the occasion. It did so through allowing the televised coverage to catch a cry of “my God” from one home player as Odsonne Edouard bamboozled the visitors’ defence to claim the club’s fifth goal with some delightful flight of foot. More of which will be required with a far more arduous Champions League second-round qualifier to come next midweek against Ferencvaros. The one-off tie will follow an away assignment against Dundee United on Saturday, as Celtic return to league action after their unwanted two-game hiatus caused by Boli Bolingoli’s Covid-19 breaches.

Forrest was thought to be the admiring voice heard on Tuesday, but the winger revealed otherwise as he welcomed the return of a smattering of fans at games next month following First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s latest pronouncement. A development that has more than one upside, the player joked, as without crowds currently managers’ instructions are heard all too loud and clear by those targeted.

“I think it was Cal [Callum McGregor, who shouted]. I was standing five yards away from him,” he said. “Even if it was a few thousand, our fans especially would make a big difference. Right now, you can hear everything. You can’t just pretend that you are just focusing on the game as you hear all the shouts. So you need to make sure you look over [to the manager]. But that would be another bonus once the fans are back in you can kind of ignore that…”

Impossible to ignore was the abuse meted out to Kieran Tierney when he left Celtic for Arsenal last summer, the left-back revealed yesterday. Forrest is convinced that will pass to allow Tierney to make the return he said he did not feel able to do right now.

Forrest added: “Everyone knows how mad KT is about Celtic and he put in great performances here. He texts all the boys and he still watches all the games that he can. I think over time he will definitely be welcome back and you wouldn’t rule it out him maybe playing for Celtic again as well.”

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