Brown declares he wants to face England
SCOTT BROWN has confirmed he wants to play for Scotland against England in June. The Celtic captain’s involvement has been approved by club boss Brendan Rodgers, despite the limitations it will place on his summer holiday. Rodgers has said he will instead seek to give Brown some time off before the end of the season. The 31-year-old claims he has yet to speak to Gordon Strachan about the World Cup qualifier but sees no reason why he couldn’t be involved. ‘Me and Gordon will probably need to sit down and have a wee chat,’ Brown told the Ladbrokes Football Show. ‘I’m feeling good now. I don’t see why I can’t play (against England). We’ll talk about the holiday situation as well. It’s the hardest one because we’re back so early with Celtic. And if we get to the Scottish Cup final, the game is on May 27. ‘My heart says I want to play, my head says look out for your body. But I think the heart could rule it. ‘The gaffer (Rodgers) will give me time off. We’ve talked about that. My legs feel as good as they ever have and I feel as fit as I probably ever have, too.’ Brown has tipped Kieran Tierney as a potential successor as Celtic captain and hopes the left-back will remain despite mounting interest from English clubs. ‘Celtic fans would love KT to stay around when I retire,’ said Brown. ‘Kieran is a natural leader and a die-hard Celtic fan. He knows about winning games at Celtic Park, to go away, what it means for his friends and family. He’d be the one for me.’ Meanwhile, Tom Rogic hopes to end the season on a positive note after returning to the first team for the first time since December in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Partick Thistle. Aiming for a potential Scottish Cup final appearance which could help seal the Treble, he said: ‘Things were going great until my injury. I still consider it a good season. It’s not finished yet. I hope to enjoy more success.’