Blogs

Question marks over Rogic after cup final display

|
Image for Question marks over Rogic after cup final display

OPINION

Celtic just about managed to secure the Treble Treble they so dearly coveted on Saturday as Neil Lennon’s side completed a 2-1 victory over Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Cup final.

The immediate aftermath of the victory saw the Hoops offer caretaker boss Neil Lennon the permanent manager’s job, but that momentous update shouldn’t distract from some concerning performances by the team’s players at Hampden Park.

Midfielder Tom Rogic was particularly underwhelming, before his eventual second half substitution for Olivier Ntcham, who came on and had a far greater impact than the Australian.

The 6ft 2in powerhouse [Source: Transfermarkt] simply couldn’t get his game going against Craig Levein’s side, which summed up a frustrating season for the 26-year-old personally.

He bagged only five goals and six assists in all competitions this term, down from eight and nine respectively last time out. He played a few less games, granted, but anyone who watched him this campaign knows that the midfielder wasn’t quite his imperious self.

We saw that once again on Saturday, as he failed to have any real impact on the game. It simply wasn’t his day, and his substitution coincided in an up-tick in the team’s play.

That’s not all down to the ineffectual Aussie, of course, but there’s no doubt that there are question marks surrounding him after he fluffed his lines at Hampden. This was a big opportunity for him to reverse the narrative of his lacklustre season, but he simply couldn’t do it.

No one’s saying he should be sold this summer, but this is probably the most uncertain the fanbase have been about Rogic for many years. He needs a strong pre season and a return to top form next time out, otherwise his Parkhead future could appear dark indeed.

Share this article