‘Big guns’ – Martin O’Neill issues interesting verdict on Celtic legend Scott Brown as a manager

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A new generation of managers are coming through, and some of them have Celtic connections in Scotland.

Scott Brown is in charge of Ayr United, and Mark Wilson recently got the permanent gig at Partick Thistle – both teams in Scotland’s second-tier.

Of course, the name of Brown resonates louder because of the legendary spell he had at Celtic, after signing for the club in 2007 from Hibernian, and then leaving in 2021 with 23 trophies to his name.

Brown had just missed Martin O’Neill’s iconic era in charge, but that doesn’t mean that the latter isn’t aware of what the former midfielder is doing now that he has switched from a hard-hitting midfielder to a calm coach.

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Martin O’Neill’s verdict on Celtic legend Scott Brown as a manager

At the age of 39, Brown is still very early in his tenure as manager, and this is his second gig after starting out in the dugout at Fleetwood Town.

O’Neill has been watching on from afar, and he thinks the outspoken and all-action Brown is doing ‘really well’ so far, as he told talkSPORT.

Celtic’s Treble-winning manager also interestingly claimed that he thinks the ‘big guns’ could be looking towards Brown’s direction sooner rather than later.

“I have a lot of time for Scott Brown, as a player,” said O’Neill.  “I think he is doing really well now in management, and he will be linked with big jobs. 

“I think the big guns will be looking at him at some stage or another – I have only had limited conversations with him in time.

“Way back, funnily enough, just over a year ago, when he was taking over at Ayr. They were playing a game against Queen’s Park, and I happened to be at the game. This was probably January of last year. 

“The couple of minutes I had with him, he had his own ideas about the game. He was set, and obviously he is very ambitious.”

Brown’s managerial record at Ayr United

Ayr United missed out on promotion to the Scottish Premiership during the recently concluded campaign, after losing in the play-offs.

Brown is expected to take charge again next term, and his task will be to try and earn promotion, but he will have some serious competition around him.

Relegated Premiership duo St Johnstone and Ross County will want to bounce straight back up, as Thistle and Ayr will want to put the disappointment of the last campaign behind them.