IT may be a criticism frequently put forward about Tom Rogic that you only get 60-odd minutes out of him, but when it is 60-odd minutes like he produced against Rangers on Sunday, you won’t find many Celtic fans complaining.

The midfielder has often seemed to save his best form for matches against Celtic’s city rivals, particularly at Ibrox, where he has now scored three of his six goals against Rangers after his crucial equaliser at the weekend. Just one has come at Celtic Park, with two being scored at Hampden.

His performance was all style and guile, craft and cunning, picking up pockets of space and sprinkling his patented magic over the match whenever he was in possession. Even those of a Rangers persuasion had to admit that their team simply couldn’t handle the man the Celtic fans have dubbed ‘The Wizard of Oz’.

“The one player that really made the difference was Tom Rogic, particularly in the first 45 minutes," said Ibrox legend Ally McCoist.

“He was playing in pockets in front of the Rangers back four, he was picking the ball up, I thought he was different class."

Previously in his career, the Australian has at times been characterised as lazy, with his languid style perhaps counting against him, though this is an accusation that can hardly be levelled at him this season under Ange Postecoglou.

Since his compatriot’s arrival, Rogic has been revitalised, and he has won praise from his manager for his willingness to do the donkey work in defending from the front, a prerequisite of a place in a Postecoglou team, but hardly something he was renowned for prior to this season.

“With Tom, it’s not just his quality, he’s working so hard for us in a defensive sense and pressing the opposition, instigating our defensive work,” Postecoglou said back in February.

“The quality he’s got shines through after that."

It certainly shone through in abundance at Ibrox, with Rogic providing the necessary calm amid the storm of the midfield in a frantic opening to the game. And he needed all of that famed composure when the chance to draw Celtic level fell his way following a whirlwind start from Rangers.

It was his initial shot following Callum McGregor’s powerful run that was blocked out to Reo Hatate. He had the sense to hang around the area in case any scraps fell his way, and as Allan McGregor spilled Hatate’s effort, the ball indeed fell invitingly for Rogic.

It looked at first glance to be a simple finish, but with the ball bouncing up on the half volley, McGregor spreading himself in front of him, and the din of 50,000-odd baying Rangers supporters all around him, it was anything but.

As with so much in Rogic’s game though, he made it look easy. On closer inspection, you can see that he even delays his finish for a fraction of a second to allow for Rangers keeper McGregor’s dive to go past him, before casually lifting the ball into the net.

It seems remarkable that a little over a year ago, Rogic seemed surplus to requirements at Celtic Park, and was in fact on the brink of a move to Qatar, the footballing equivalent of being put out to pasture.

Now, Celtic fans may be eyeing the expiry of his contract next summer nervously, and be eager for their club to open talks about keeping Rogic around into the twilight of his career. Something that wasn’t exactly high up the list of priorities for Postecoglou when asked about the possibility of an extension for Rogic recently.

“It’s the last thing on my mind, mate," he said.

“We want people here who are happy to be here and want to be a part of it.

“Unless someone knocks on my door and says they want to go I’ll just let it roll.”

Postecoglou has also acknowledged though that Rogic is a player he would like to keep around, insisting he has so much more still to offer for Celtic. In fact, he is of the opinion that his best years could still be ahead of him.

“Throughout his career, he’s done some remarkable things,” he said. “He’s had a fantastic career here with Celtic. You don’t stay at a football club like this unless you have something to offer.

“I still think there’s more to come. He’s only [29]. In many respects his best football years could be ahead of him. Hopefully that continues.

“He’s now beyond the 50 cap mark with Australia which isn’t easy. To travel from this side of the world to play for Australia is a lot more challenging than maybe some other national teams.

“He’s done remarkably well. He’s become a senior member here at Celtic and with the national team.

“At both club and international level, he’s got plenty to offer for both teams.”

Given his masterful display at Ibrox, there will be precious few among the Celtic support or elsewhere who would argue with that assessment. But there may be more than a few who would think the time has now come to tie down his long-term future.