Rogic rises without impartial fan or journalist eyes

Back in October I wrote that Tom Rogic could be this season’s Player of the Year, or he could just as easily drift out of the team.  Injury (hamstring, of course) soon interrupted his run of form but Tom was inspired at Hampden in December, when the League Cup was brought back into the fold.  On this basis alone, Tom’s nomination for the Scottish Professional Footballers Association (SPFA) Player of the Year is worthwhile.

The Celtic story of this season is largely how we overturned a six-point deficit during the second half of the campaign.  The team’s rise was helped enormously by a spectacular January transfer window, but without a few excellent performers in the first half of the season, current form would count for nought.

Kyogo changed everything.  His goals, movement, respectful behaviour, the sheer joy he brought to Celtic cannot be overstated.  He was the muse all others took inspiration from.  Despite missing half the season, you could make a case that his impact outweighs all others.

Cameron Carter-Vickers did what we hoped Shane Duffy would do a year earlier.  He controls his immediate vicinity with an assuredness that allows the entire team to relax and get on with their with their primary function.  If not Player of the Year, he is a big part of the story.

The same goes for Joe Hart, who settled our 12 months goalkeeping problem and provides the same assuredness the team gets from Carter-Vickers.  Neither Kyogo, Cameron nor Joe received a nomination.

Callum McGregor did and is likely to win the award.  He has been a Celtic constant for eight years and a setter of world records for time served per season.  He is one of the players who could easily slot into any of the great European sides.

Whatever your views on PotY, these are the nominations came from players who have competed in the league this season; there are no impartial fan or journalist eyes involved.