Gordon Strachan reckons Scott Brown was in an impossible situation at Celtic with a rebuild coming and his influence in the team set to wane.
Brown is on his way to Aberdeen at the end of the season to take up a player/coach role under new manager Stephen Glass.
Celtic tried to retain the services of the captain, with Glass claiming that the club made last-ditch attempts to sign him up to a new deal while Brown was at Pittodrie completing his move.
Strachan, who was the manager that signed Brown from Hibernian way back in 2007, has compared the veteran’s situation to his own when he left English side Leeds for Coventry City.
Writing his Herald Sport column today (01/05 print edition, page 16), the former Bhoys boss explained: “The wages he’ll be on at Aberdeen won’t be the same as what he was getting at Celtic, that’s for sure.
“But the big similarity between our situations is that he will enjoy being an influence again, as I did at Coventry. I actually started playing again, but that was because my influence was there again. I think that is what Scott wants. That real challenge and that influence again. And that’s only right.
“Everybody knows that Celtic have to start afresh with a new era. It would be totally unfair for anyone to ask Scott Brown to lead that again. I think it would be impossible for him to lead that again having committed so much of his football life into making Celtic that force they have been over the nine years.
“So, for Scott, it would have nothing to do with a contract. It would be about being an influence, enjoying himself, and seeing a project that he can help again.”
Scott Brown set to saddle up for one last Celtic ride vs Rangers
John Kennedy has confirmed that despite his exit, Brown is set to start the last derby of the season against Rangers tomorrow.
The fixture only holds meaning because it’s a derby, but the captain will still be eager to put in a fine performance.
A win would see him head off into the sunset with a reminder that he’s been the dominant force in Scottish football over the last decade.
Celtic have to prepare for life without his presence on the training ground, in the dressing room and when battling the opposition.
That’ll be a task in itself. As Kennedy said in his press conference this week, replacing him outright may be impossible, but Celtic have to evolve with the times and find a new leader for a new team.
In other news, Chris Sutton’s exciting Eddie Howe to Celtic claim.
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