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| Tomas Rogic (L) with Melbourne Victory's Marco Rojas (R) Photo: Central Coast Mariners |
Running through the centre of AAMI Park and beating Ante
Covic from 30 metres out was 19-year-old Tomas Rogic of Canberra- an Australian
Football Prospect from the Nike Football Academy.
Rogic joined the Central Coast Mariners from the Nike
Football Academy in London after failing to gain a work permit with English
Championship club Reading and the Mariners could not have been happier to snap
up the youngster.
In January 2011 Rogic competed in the Nick Football Academy
in which Rogic won and became one of the best eight young footballers in the
world.
In January 2011 Rogic told Max Mason of Foxsports of his
enjoyment in winning a contract with Nike.
“It’s pretty unbelievable, I was lucky to get a
spot, but I’ve worked pretty hard and I’m glad I’ve a reward out of it.”
Rogic went onto to sign a three-year-deal with Reading in
England but failed a work permit so returned to Australian to join the Central
Coast Mariners which was the club he trained with before jetting off to
England.
“From day one we knew he was preparing for the
Nike Chance and I sat down and had a chat with him before he left, saying there
was a contract on the table should he have come back,” Graham Arnold told Mason for
Foxsports after Rogic won contract with The Nike Academy.
That is exactly what happened, after failing to
gain a work permit Rogic accepted the offered deal which Arnold and the
Mariners offered 12 months prior. Rogic went onto make his A-League debut on
January 21 against Adelaide United in a 3-2 victory over the Reds.
After Central Coast’s 2-1 defeat to Melbourne Victory where
Rogic scored his debut A-League goal coach Graham Arnold described Rogic to the
media as a wonderful talent.
“Unfortunately he didn’t get a work permit in England and he
rang me and wanted to come back to us and play with us and you saw tonight he
is a wonderful talent.”
Arnold concedes though Rogic like all top youngsters have a
lot of work still ahead of them.
“He has a little bit to work physically on, he ran out of
legs a little bit but it’s a big step up for the kid and if he continues he has
a great level head on him, he works hard if he continues the way he is and he
is another exiting prospect of Australian Football.”
Former Socceroo captain Craig Moore praised the youngster
for his fine performance against the Victory in Ray Gatt’s piece in The
Australian.
"He shows a lot of good signs. He is a very
clever player. He is clever in the positions he got on the ball, looked
comfortable with the ball at his feet and with the way he glided past players.”
Rogic believes he just needs to take the great experience of
scoring his debut goal against players like Harry Kewell and Ante Covic into
the upcoming games.
“It was a great experience and I think I am going to learn
from that and take it into the next match and matches after that. Yeah it’s
obviously great to score as well but in the end of the day I’d rather the three
points but that’s how it goes,” Rogic stated in the media.
Arnold went onto say that the focus of himself and the club
is to give Australian youngsters a go which is exactly what has happened with
Rogic.
“We are a club for kids and we are trying to be a club of
choice for kids wanting to have a go and get a go and we have had quite a few
18, 19 year olds on the pitch tonight and we have already got three away with
the Olympic team. I think that’s the focus of the club and myself is to bring
the young kids through and give Australian youngsters a go.”
Rogic praised the environment at the Mariners for making it
easier for youngsters to come into the side.
“Yeah definitely, the environment that we are in is great
with Arnie (Coach Graham Arnold) and the coaching staff and all the players
around you have every bit of confidence and belief in you so going on the
pitch...it’s a good feeling knowing that they are backing you one hundred
percent so It made it a lot easier for me to come into the side.”
Rogic learnt his trade while playing Futsal and represented
the Qantas Futsalroos and competed at the AFC Futsal Championships in 2010. The
Canberra born midfielder ended up making seven appearances and scored 8 goals
in his time with the Futsalroos. He told the media after his debut goal in the
A-League that Futsal did help him become a good Footballer.
“I think everything of my technical ability and I think my
comfort on the ball all sort of began with Futsal.”
“I think it has definitely helped me and I’d encourage
people in the future to look down that road.”
The tall midfielder is still not sure what will happen after
his deal finishes after the Asian Champions League but just wants to play
Football.
“I am not sure yet. I am just looking at the season ahead
and trying to play regular Football and I think I am getting that opportunity
at the Mariners.”
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