Neil Lennon has claimed that Scott Brown is integral to his Celtic team, and that any potential rebuild has to go around him.
The Celtic interim boss is still auditioning for the job permanently. Despite four wins in five games since joining at the end of February, the football hasn’t been great outside of the 2-0 win at Hibs.
But one player who does continue to impress is captain Brown. In difficult games against Hearts, Hibs, and Rangers, he’s played a key role for the soon-to-be eight-in-a-row champions.
And Lennon believes that the summer rebuild ahead simply must work around Celtic’s legendary number eight. Speaking in the Daily Record, Lennon said the following:
“Absolutely. He is so integral to this club and this dressing room, on and off the field. He’s still fit as a fiddle and he is very experienced.
“He knows the psychology of these big games more than anybody, so you just leave him to it. If he walks on a tight line, then so be it. Some of us did. He knows the boundaries to work in.
“He played brilliantly again on Sunday and in games like that you really need him. I am really glad for everyone [he stayed], but for him especially. He has settled down and is playing some great football at the minute.”
Still has years in him yet
Watching Brown against Rangers, he did what Brown just always seems to do – silence doubters.
Anyone that maybe thought he was on the way out after December’s Ibrox loss has been proved wrong once more. The former Hibs star is at the peak of his game at Parkhead.
This is perhaps the best form of Scott Brown we’ve seen since he signed back in 2007. He’s matured a great deal, knows how to get under the opposition’s skin, and has become the most successful on-pitch leader Celtic have had in years.
He signed a new two-year deal back in January. At the moment, even that looks like not being long enough given how Brown’s game has adapted and how comfortable he looks with it.
Whether you want Lennon here to lead the nine-in-a-row charge or not, he’s right to focus on building a team around Brown.
The Hoops have a host of stars out-of-contract at the end of the season. The likes of Filip Benkovic, Timothy Weah, Jeremy Toljan, and Oliver Burke will all head back to their parent clubs too.
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