Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic admits he loves being caught up in a whirlwind of crucial games for both club and country.
The 23-year-old is currently in the middle of a mammoth 19,000 mile round trip after linking up with Australia for Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Iraq in Perth before facing the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
When Rogic recovers from his jet lag on his return to Glasgow, his attention will then turn to the crunch September 10 Old Firm clash with Rangers and the mouth-watering Champions League encounter in Barcelona four days later.
But Rogic, who scored and was named man of the match in the weekend’s 4-1 win over Aberdeen, insists he would not have it any other way.
He said: “We’ve got an Old Firm match when we get back on Saturday and then Barcelona away on the Tuesday.
“It’s all a bit crazy at the moment but I’m certainly loving it and long may it continue.
“We’ve had some unique games at our club. We’ve gone to Kazakhstan, we’ve gone to Israel. It doesn’t really stop
“The next international, there is a lot of travel as well. That’s just part of it.”
Rogic only has ten minutes of Champions League group stage action under his belt after coming off the bench in the November 2013 3-0 home defeat to Inter Milan during Neil Lennon’s reign.
The former Central Coast Mariners playmaker, who signed a new three-year deal with the Hoops last month, is determined to play a bigger role this time in a group that includes the Catalan giants, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and German outfit Borussia Monchengladbach.
Speaking to socceroos.com.au, he added: “It’s a tough draw. Any team in the Champions League is going to be tough.
“It’s about making sure we’re ready for those matches and enjoying it because we’re not there to take part and make up the numbers in the competition.
“I’ve been around long enough to know how important it is to be in this competition and it’s exciting. We have a lot of games.
“I got a taste of it a few years ago when I first came to the club. I obviously didn’t feature as much and was relatively new, and didn’t have as much of an influence in games.
“When you’re playing your home matches in front of 60,000 fans and the atmosphere that comes with it, it’s not something I take for granted, or take lightly
“That’s why I said when I re-signed that I didn’t want to leave.”
