People have been trying to kill me off for 15 years, I get dog’s abuse from trolls who say I’m garbage but..
TALKING CELTIC
IN PRAGUE WITH CELTIC COTT BROWN has been here many times before in his Celtic career. Written off by his detractors. Dismissed as a spent force by those who wish him ill. Tipped to struggle as his powers diminish.
But the Celtic captain, who has revealed he will sign a new contract at the Parkhead club in his testimonial year, is taking the same attitude to the snipers, of whom there has never been any shortage, as he has always done. By ignoring them and concentrating on playing football.
It would be impossible to have survived for as long as he has in Paradise without being able to withstand the flak.
The barbs which are aimed in his direction bounce off the midfielder like a rival player trying to dispossess him. If anything, they provoke a positive reaction.
“It is only a matter of time before somebody wants to kill you off,” said Brown from the Czech Republic, where Celtic have come to play their third pre-season friendly against Slavia Prague this evening.
“But it has been that way in my career for the last 15 years. People have always done that, people can’t wait to knock you down.
“I don’t give a monkey’s. People can think whatever they want of me. I do my job for Scotland and I do my job for Celtic. I work as hard as I possibly can. I do whatever I need to do in training and outside of training to be the best I can be.
“You need to have a thick skin to do this. The abuse I get? That’s life. People can write on Twitter or Instagram or whatever. It doesn’t really bother me. I enjoy seeing the wee comments like ‘Scotty, you’re garbage’
“I think: ‘I know mate – but I’m still playing and I’m 32!’ I’m just here to prove everyone wrong – even the sports science guys here.”
He has certainly done that in the last 12 months. This time last year the focus on Brown was intense and the pressure on him to perform considerable.
He had, despite helping Celtic to win their fifth consecutive Scottish title, been a shadow of the player he had been before. He had suffered from a series of niggling injuries.
He looked unfit and his form was often poor. At 31, even many of his admirers thought he may be in decline.
SBUT a complete break from the game last summer, coupled with the arrival of Brendan Rodgers as manager, transformed him.
He was back to his very best both domestically, where his side went undefeated and won the Treble, and in Europe, where his team qualified for the Champions League group s stages for the first time in three y years.
Retiring from international f football last August after winning his 50th cap – a decision he went back on after just two months – undoubtedly helped to replenish his energy levels.
So isn’t the fact that he is back playing for both club and country going to take an inevitable toll on his body once again?
He is confident it won’t. He revealed he had the complete faith of both Rodgers at Celtic a and his mentor and friend Gord don Strachan with Scotland too.
“I just need to maintain my le levels of fitness,” he said. “If I k know I can play at that level I will continue doing it as long as I can. If I can’t then I will know it is time for r me to go. As soon as I can’t chase the lads at training I will know I am letting them m down.
“It won’t be a decision that anyone else will make. For me, it is in the runs uns more than anything. When en we are doing sprints and I am closing people down and nd I can’t keep up I think that is s when you know your legs are re going and your time is slowing ing fading away.”
Brown hadad less than a fortnight off after ter the Russia 2018 qualifier againstgainst England at Hampden at the end of last month.
But he feelsels the impressive levels of strengthrength and fitness which both h he and his team mates have e attained under