Craig Swan
SCOTT BROWN should not play for Scotland against England - even if Brendan Rodgers says it’s okay.
Once the game with the Auld Enemy is over and he’s had his summer holidays the Celtic captain should have the opportunity, if he’s ready and raring to go, to return to the fold for the final four World Cup qualifiers at the beginning of next season.
Before anyone starts jumping up and down let’s just cut through all the patriotic pap, the jingoism, the finger pointing and deal instead with the hard and harsh facts of the situation.
We all love Scotland. We all want Scotland to do well. Brown is the same but it’s just not that simple.
Put yourself in this position. You are desperate to go to the England game and your mate gets you a ticket. You go to your boss and ask for June 10 off.
He says: “Well you can go if you want but to be honest I really need you at work that day.
“If you go to the game and we don’t get this job finished on time to complete this big contract it’s going to cause this company massive problems in the future.”
What would you do? We’ve all got families to look after, we can’t mess work about.
Most of us would grit our teeth, sigh, hand the ticket back and accept no matter how disappointed we were at missing out on the big Hampden gig we would have to work that day.
Why is Brown different from the rest of us? Just because he’s a footballer? Grow up. The situation is the same.
Celtic are his employers. No one is suggesting anyone at Parkhead is pushing him to swerve it.
But as an individual, be honest, you know yourself if you are cheating your gaffer.
Like that day you phoned in sick when you were actually hungover and couldn’t be a***d getting out of your patch.
If Brown plays in this England game and doesn’t get the proper summer rest his body needs there is a chance he will then let down the bosses at Parkhead who pay his wages when they really need him for the Champions League qualifiers.
Even if it’s a tiny chance that would be a big mistake. His recent past with injuries has shown he can’t push it.
Let’s face it. We’re all the same. We work to live, we don’t live to work.
Most folk reading this at work today would far rather be playing golf, be out with the family or be in the pub than grafting away.
Those of us lucky enough to be earning wages in these difficult times have a responsibility to those who pay us.
Brown is employed by Celtic. Therefore if turning out for Scotland in June means there is any chance he could in any way be compromising his ability to perform to his best for them in the immediate aftermath he shouldn’t do it.
And no one should slag him off for making that choice.
Just the same way that if he gets the rest his body needs in the summer to make sure he’s at his best for Celtic and he’s vibrant and in full cry by the time the squads are being picked for the September matches, he shouldn’t be slagged for returning when it’s suitable for him and most importantly the men who put his tokens in the ATM every month.
There is no game in the world that harbours hypocrisy like football.
Fans boo Chris Martin on to the pitch, yet seven minutes later cheer his name with gusto and dance around when he scores a goal for our team.
Chairmen whinge about loyalty yet trigger managers when they feel like it.
Players kiss badges but would swap the emblems in a second for more dosh.
The people who would hammer Brown for pulling out of the England game would be the same ones who kiss their boss’s backside on the building site instead of saying what they think and telling him to eff off because they need their wages every week.
Brown’s history and personal experience has told him and us that not resting properly over the summer will mean he might not be able to do his job properly.
He got a proper break last summer and it made a huge difference. If he gambles on not doing that this summer he would be letting down the paymasters who value him. That’s the reality.
If you would choose to do that fine. Slag him off. Slaughter him.
But this strongly suspects most of you wouldn’t. So get off the fella’s case.