Craig Levein’s banter is getting better as he gets older

people to win. He’s played in the Premier League so he knows what top standard is and he’s maybe not getting it where he is.”

Brown has changed his aggressive style and now has a key role in the side and said: “If you look at touches in the game, I’m probably up there.

“It goes through myself, Tom Rogic, Callum McGregor in the middle. We try to dominate games from start to finish.

“Sometimes I’m deeper than the two centre-halves. When the gaffer came in he wanted me to play in this different position – sitting in front of the back four instead of trying to be a box-to-box player running about all over the place, tackling everybody and starting World War Three in the middle.

“It’s about learning the game, enjoying having the ball at your feet and keeping control of it for 90 minutes rather than launching into tackles and getting suspensions.

“We try to slow it down a bit. We know when to come back in and defend but also know when to speed it up. We’ve got pace everywhere in the team.

“We try to play football the proper way on a nice, short pitch with loads of water on it.”

Brown was referring to Rodgers complaining about the length of the grass at Tynecastle with Levein yesterday telling the Hoops gaffer to stop “bleating”.

The Irishman didn’t deny that but insists his groans are with good reason and for the greater good of Scottish football.

Rodgers said: “I was bleating! I don’t think anyone wants to see a game in long grass that is really dry. I have no problem with Craig. I have really enjoyed the brief chats we have had.

“There is no wrong or right. He will feel he’s right in what he has to do and that’s absolutely fine.

SCOTT BROWN

“Maybe I shouldn’t care. Maybe I should just worry about Celtic. I’m not trying to blaze any trail, just improve the standards.

“I’ve been critical about the state of our own pitch so it’s not just about other places, it’s about the greater good of the game.

“The British game used to have the identity of being a long-ball game and the reason for that was you had to go over the top because of the state of the playing surfaces.

“But that’s no longer the case and standardisation would improve the development of young players and improve football as a spectacle.”