FORMER Socceroo Robbie Slater says Tom Rogic is a rare commodity in the Australian game but warned against the Canberra teenager making a premature move to Europe.
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Rogic has taken the A-League by storm in the past month, scoring two cracking goals in five appearances for the Central Coast Mariners before today's match with the Melbourne Heart.
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder was overlooked by the Australian Institute of Sport and Australia's under-20 team and only gained notoriety when he received one of just eight scholarships worldwide to Nike's The Chance program in London last year.
That attracted interest from several English Premier League clubs before Rogic was offered a 2½-year contract with Championship club Reading.
However, he was unable to obtain a work permit and instead signed a short-term deal with the Mariners last month, leaving the door open to an overseas move at the end of the season.
Slater - capped 44 times by the Socceroos - spent seven years in the National Soccer League before plying his trade with a host of European clubs, including Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United and Southampton.
He believed the A-League had progressed to a standard that young players could hone their skills for a few years rather than risk getting little game time overseas.
''I think it's too early for him to go, he's better off establishing himself here first,'' Slater said. ''A lot of players have gone too early.
''It's been detrimental to their careers and I'm not sure the Championship is the place for him.
''His style of play would certainly be suited more to the continent or the Premier League … He's an extraordinary talent.''
Now a commentator with Fox Sports, Slater was at Skilled Park when Rogic delivered a clever assist to set up the Mariners' first goal in their 3-3 draw with Gold Coast United on Wednesday.
Rogic has already made several highlight reels with stunning individual strikes against the Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory.
''It's been one of the best debuts we've seen from a kid,'' Slater said. ''He's something different, a creative type … We need them in all lines but the rare ones are the creative midfielders, the ones with pace.
''Rogic isn't exceptionally quick but he's got great balance, great feet.''
Ron Smith is regarded as one of the best judges of talent in the country, having been the head coach at the AIS and also technical manager with Football Federation Australia. He first spotted Rogic when he was an 11-year-old playing for Woden Valley.
When asked how far Rogic could go, Smith, who was the chief scout for the Nike program, replied: ''All the way … When you see young players with talent - and I've seen a lot in my time - some have special qualities that make them stand out a little bit above the other good players and I think Tommy has that.
''Tommy's outstanding talent has been his ability to beat people, his ability to score goals and also his composure in desperate situations.
''Sometimes Tommy is as cool as ice, you can't teach people that.''
It's understood Rogic was overlooked for Australia's under-20s team and the AIS because of his perceived poor defensive skills.
''You can teach people to defend,'' Smith said. ''That's a lot easier than trying to get people to be creative and have the ability to score goals.''