I WOULD LIKE TO STAY HERE FOR LIFE, INSISTS ROGIC

HE MAKES it all look so easy. Effortless, almost. But Tom Rogic’s work rate would surprise you. And his hard graft has put himself in this most privileged of positions. With a new five-year contract signed and secured, the Australian playmaker, chance creator and scorer of big-game goals has become arguably the most important player in this Celtic team. If he gets his way, he’ll stay for life. And, even allowing for fluctuating fortunes, there aren’t many Hoops fans who would be displeased by that idea. It almost goes without saying that, when he arrived in the alien environs of Scotland as a raw 20-year-old, Rogic could not have predicted this career path. When he was sent on loan to Melbourne Victory a season into his Celtic career, his chances of returning to Glasgow looked pretty slim. Asked yesterday if he’d been concerned that he might not make it, Rogic said: ‘Possibly. I came here just aged 20. I was young and had a lot to learn. ‘The player and the person who walked in the door five years ago has progressed and matured, both on and off the pitch. ‘There’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs — but I can reflect on the past five years and be proud of it. ‘If I can keep continuing and developing, there’s no reason why the next five can’t be more successful. I would like that (to stay for life). Football can change for better or worse very quickly. I just want to play here for as long as I can.’ Recalling that arrival in Scotland during the dark winter days of January 2013, Rogic said: ‘It was difficult but, if you want to make it as a footballer, you have to sacrifice a lot of things. I’ve had to do that but a number of people have too. I don’t see myself any different in that way. ‘Obviously the distance, that cannot really be replaced or compared in some instances. But it is what it is and I’ve made a new home here. ‘Growing up in Australia, if you want to play at the highest level possible, you’re going to play on the other side of the world. It’s definitely worth it.’ Casting his mind back to that loan spell back in Oz, a sobering return for a player so highly thought of in Socceroos circles, Rogic admitted: ‘It was a testing time, learning a bit about myself as a player and as a person. ‘It helped shape me to get to this point today. I have learned a lot and I am happy with where we are. ‘Wanting it isn’t enough. You need to have a lot to be successful in this business. ‘There are a lot of ups and downs in football and a lot of times that test you. ‘This is one of the pleasant times and a moment to be proud — but it is not something to rest on. I want to keep working hard.’