CELTIC Socceroo Tom Rogic has set his sights on a first team slot on the back of Australia's qualification for Brazil 2014, he's admitted.
Victor Wanyama's move to Southampton has left a role in attack that Rogic is keen to take over next season, after spending most of his first year at the hoops stuck on the sidelines as he settled in to Scottish life.
"It is always an opportunity when a player leaves," he told The Scottish Sun. “Hopefully, I can step up and make that position my own. We will have to wait and see.
"I am enjoying life in Scotland. At first it was a bit of a shock because I left the Australian summer and walked straight into the Scottish winter.
“It was a big move coming across from the other side of the world. It does take a bit of time to settle on and off the pitch.
“That is behind me now, however. I feel really comfortable and am looking forward to the year ahead.
“I want to do well and to take my opportunity when it comes, to help the club gain further success.”
But having helped Australia booked their flights to Rio, the sky's the limit for the Canberra-born prodigy - especially with recent praise from Tim Cahill.
“It is a massive compliment coming from a guy who has played at the top level for a number of years and has been one of the main men in our national team for the last 10 years," said Rogic.
“It’s a very big compliment but I can’t let it affect me too much because I still have a long way to go. Hopefully my success will come.”
Rogic also spoke of his joy at the Socceroos making it three World Cups in a row with their win over Iraq.
“We were in camp for three important qualifiers and we reached the World Cup. It was a great three weeks. The final game was a special night," he said.
“We had to win to ensure qualification. We were in Sydney in front of a sell-out 80,000 crowd and our winner didn’t come until really late so it was very tense.
“Once we got the goal the fans went wild. I’ll never forget it. The fans should expect us to be at the World Cup every four years.
“Football is really growing in Australia and the World Cup is a massive sporting event. For us to be there consistently is very important for the growth of the game.
“It’s not like the UK where football is No 1. It’s still a growing sport in Australia and getting to World Cups can only help.”
Celtic face Northern Ireland side Cliftonville this week en route to the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.
Rogic admits the European version is a bit of a step up from the AFC Champions League he played in while at Central Coast Mariners,
“We played against teams from Japan, South Korea and China," Rogic told the Scottish tabloid. "It is not really that big across there. It is just seen as another club competition.
"In terms of quality it is not as good as the main Champions League. I regard it as the best club competition in the world. To play in it would be amazing — a whole new experience for me.
“The boys here at Celtic all speak highly of the competition and regard it as the best club competition there is.
“I was at the Juventus game last season and the atmosphere was amazing. I hadn’t witnessed anything that even came close.
“I got a taste of it but to play in front of an atmosphere like that would be something different.
“It would be a great achievement if I could play a part in it and it would be good for the club if we made the group stages again.
“We just have to do our best to make sure we get there.”
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