Socceroo Tommy Rogic could reunite with former coach Graham Arnold at J.League club Vegalta Sendai in January.
Socceroo Tommy Rogic could reunite with former coach Graham Arnold at J.League club Vegalta Sendai in January.
Australia coach Ange Postecoglou has urged the talented Celtic midfielder, 20, to get more game times if he wants to play a role at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
If the option becomes available in January, former Central Coast coach Arnold said he would welcome Rogic to Japan with an Asian spot available at the club.
"Because I'm going to Japan, I don't want to stop developing Australian footballers," Arnold told reporters on Thursday.
"I've had a conversation with Tommy and it wasn't so much about coming on loan to Sendai or anything but it was more about being his ex-coach and what he needs as a footballer.
"The kid has had a meteoric rise from when he was at the Mariners, he only became a professional footballer here (at the Mariners) and he played 10 games with us before he went to Celtic and now since he has been at Celtic he's probably only played another 10 games.
"He needs to play football. He needs to get on the pitch and start playing 90-minute games and that's the only way he will develop further and improve.
"I'd always find a spot in my team for a Tommy Rogic if I could. He's a Celtic player at the moment and hopefully he can get game time there."
Arnold, who has signed a two-season deal with Sendai, said the move came about very quickly, apologising to Mariners fans for the timing.
He described the J.League as the 'English Premier League of Asia' and said he wanted to get Sendai back into the AFC Champions League.
"The club experienced Asian Champions League last year and I know that that's what they'd like to do again," Arnold said.
"It's refreshing to work with a club, especially in a country where the ACL is enormously important, I don't think has been grasped here in Australia properly yet.
"For the Japanese, the Asian Champions League is massive. I'd like to say that is my first goal."
Arnold will spend another seven weeks in Australia and said he was yet to speak to Central Coast players since his departure was announced.
The former Australia coach also backed new coach Phil Moss, his former assistant, to be successful.
"I haven't even spoken to the players yet. I wanted to stay away from them this week," Arnold said.
"Last week they were probably in a little bit of shock when it came out that I was leaving. Phil Moss is the manager now and Phil is going to do a great job with a wonderful group of players and great guys.
"They didn't need me to come in and disrupt their week this week. I'll approach and address them over time."