Rene Meulensteen has urged Tom Rogic to quit Celtic in the summer!
The Australian assistant manager watched Celtic’s midweek draw with Livingston and couldn’t resist the opportunity for some self-promotion.
After a spell as one of many assistant’s to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United Meulensteen was given his big chance in management when he was put in charge of Fulham in December 2013. Seventeen games and four wins later Felix Magath took over as Fulham headed for relegation to The Championship.
Following spells coaching at Maccabi Haifa and Kerala Blasters (Indian Super League) the 55-year-old washed up as assistant manager of the Australian national side.
Rogic was a key part of Celtic’s success under Brendan Rodgers but after being dragged off to the Asian Cup in December 2018 soon after playing in the World Cup in Russia (a year after playing in the summer Confederations Cup) his fitness and form has left him on the side-lines at club level.
Most international coaches, and assistants keep away from criticising the clubs that they are dependent on for borrowing players but Meulensteen took a different approach after taking in the Livi-Celtic game.
He told The Sun:
Tommy shouldn’t be on the bench. He’s a player who should play every week. It’s not my decision to make but it’s a shame for us, as we want all our top players to play as much football as possible.
Maybe come the summer, there might be a move for him coming up. I’m sure there are clubs looking at him. Celtic are a great club and Tommy always speaks with such passion about him but sometimes things move in a different way and I think if he doesn’t get regular football, he probably needs to look elsewhere.
Tommy’s such a good player. He’s a strong, powerful lad but for his size, he is so tactically good. He has an unbelievable left foot and it was great to see him score a goal against Livingston.
Later this month Australia has World Cup qualifiers at home to Kuwait and away to Nepal. Graham Arnold is manager of the Australian national side.