Australian Joeys coach Tony Vidmar believes Tom Rogic may be forced to leave Scottish giant Celtic to increase his chances of playing a bigger role with the Socceroos at next year's World Cup.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 20-year-old Canberra product has had limited game time with the Hoops and was an unusued substitute in Celtic's 2-1 Scottish Premier League win over Partick Thistle on Sunday night.
Rogic could be one of a batch of talented youngsters to benefit from the appointment of new national coach Ange Postecoglou.
While the attacking midfielder was capped seven times under Holger Osieck, Rogic could play a more substantial role during Postecoglou's five-year tenure. However, it will be tough for Postecoglou to throw Rogic into the mix while he is sitting on the bench.
Vidmar said Rogic faced a difficult decision the longer he struggled to make the first team.
''He hasn't had much game time and it'd be frustrating for him,'' Vidmar said.
''It's up to Ange to see if he's going to throw him in there.
''Do you need to be playing regularly for your club as a prerequisite or is Ange going to go with the best players irrespective of game time?''
Vidmar is based in Canberra as the head coach of the AIS program as well as the Australian under-17s team, the Joeys. The former Socceroo is well versed in the quality of the Scottish Premier League having made 104 appearances for Celtic's cross-town rival, Glasgow Rangers.
The central defender was 27 when he moved to Rangers and had a decade of experience as a professional after becoming a regular in the Socceroos and having a stint in Holland with NAC Breda.
''When you're an established player you've got a good chance of getting into the first team, but Tom's at an age where he's still developing,'' Vidmar said.
''Is it the right environment where he can develop? I don't know.
''We'll know in the next few years.''
Postecoglou isn't afraid to tap more experienced players on the shoulder and opt for youth as he did in instigating a clearout at Brisbane Roar.
Veterans such as Craig Moore and Danny Tiatto left the club as Postecoglou guided the Roar to back-to-back A-League championships.
Vidmar believed the timing was right for an Australian to be in charge of the national team and hoped it paved the way for other young coaches, such as himself, to possibly be considered for the role in the future.
''It gives us young coaches the belief that one day we can continue,'' Vidmar said.
''Ange is there for five years and does he stay there longer or does he have a career overseas?
''During that period of time, it gives us young coaches the belief that if Ange is there then I can become the national team coach.
''We're at a stage where we should have an Australian coach taking the Australian team.''