Frank McAvennie has reopened the debate around Scott Brown and Celtic, but it appears the former Hoops striker may have inadvertently solved the discussion.
McAvennie was asked about the idea of Brown returning to Celtic after he left Ayr United to help inspire the title run-in battle against Hearts and Rangers.
The former Celtic striker also pointed to deeper issues within the current Hoops setup, and how those would negate any positive aspect of Brown coming back to Paradise.
Celtic’s situation is being framed as something personality can fix, but that argument does not hold when the underlying problems are examined.
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Is there a place at Celtic for Scott Brown?
Celtic recruitment issues cannot be solved by bringing Scott Brown back
Brown is now out of work and available and when asked if the Celtic icon would return to Parkhead to help Martin O’Neill’s title charge, McAvennie made the case for it not to happen.
McAvennie told the Let Me Be Frank podcast, “I don’t think Scott would do it for a start. Martin O’Neill, he gave them that boost and, you know, and you said earlier on about Tounekti scoring wonder goals and you’re thinking, ‘You know what…’, you know, I just don’t see this team…Listen, it’s not the player’s fault because the recruitment itself has been woeful.
“I don’t think Scott would want to do it. I wouldn’t want to do it. He’d be shouting and bawling, but he’s very astute now. I think Scott will be a good manager. He’s just cutting his teeth.”
On Brown being a future Celtic manager McAvennie said, “Yeah. But I think he’s doing the right thing. He’s cutting his teeth at Fleetwood then he’s at Ayr. He’ll get something else and he’ll do it, you know. And I think football’s in his blood.”
That admission removes any doubt about where Celtic’s real problem lies. Recruitment is what is failing Celtic right now and no amount of leadership can compensate for that.
The idea of bringing Brown back leans on memory, not on what this Celtic team actually needs to improve.
Celtic must let Scott Brown develop before any return is considered
McAvennie’s own words also outline Brown’s current position, describing him as ‘very astute’ and on a clear managerial path.
Brown has cut his teeth at Fleetwood Town and Ayr United, which reflects a structured progression to his managerial career. That process matters because it builds credibility and experience that cannot be skipped.
Celtic is not an environment for learning on the job, especially during a period where results carry immediate consequences.
Pulling him back now would place expectation ahead of preparation. It would also shift focus away from the club’s structural issues in recruitment and the boardroom and onto an individual who cannot fix them.
Brown’s future at Celtic may still come, but it has to arrive at the right time.
Right now, McAvennie’s own comments show that both Celtic and Brown are on separate paths that should not be forced together.
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