Skipper is Brown not out
BRENDAN RODGERS says Scott Brown will walk back into his Celtic side as he blasted back at the doubters ready to pension his skipper out of Parkhead.
The crocked captain is nearing a return from a five week injury lay-off that has co-incided with the team regaining top form, with Callum Mcgregor impressing in Brown’s usual position in the heart of midfield.
That has raised questions in some quarters whether the 33-year-old talisman will have a fight on his hands to force his way back into a first 11, despite his many years of being the first name on the team sheet.
Reports of clubs in Australia and America poised to lure Brown with a money-spinning move when his contract expires in the summer have only intensified the uncertainty surrounding his position.
But yesterday Rodgers made it clear his skipper is still at the heart of his plans because he typifies the team’s ethos that delivered their historic Double Treble triumph.
Asked if Brown could have a problem getting back in, Rodgers said: “No, as much as people would want to say that.
“There are boys talking about it and, yes, we function well but that is because we have always functioned as a collective.
“The team doesn’t rely on one player. We build it around the team. Individual players are important but they will never win you things. It is about the collective.
“And Browny is a big part of that, no matter how much people want to write him off and wither him away.
“It was like when I first came in and people wanted to write him off.
“He is absolutely a very important part for us and it will be the collective that will win us things and he will play.”