NATURAL-BORN WINNERS
GLASS HAILS THE COMMON FOOTBALL TRAIT THAT DEFINES DONS ICON MILLER AND MAKESHIFT CENTRE-BACK BROWN
STEPHEN GlASS is quick to point out one major similarity between two titans from different eras of the Scottish game.
And the Aberdeen boss isn’t about to spoil the fun of supporters getting excited about Scott Brown’s reinvention as a centre-half.
Asked how he felt about the former Celtic and Scotland midfielder playing ‘the Willie Miller role’ at Pittodrie, Glass conceded: ‘I think both of those guys would like the comparison. Because they’re both pure winners.’
Brown has dropped into the middle of a back three for spells in recent games — and played the full 90 minutes from there as the Dons drew 2-2 against Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday night.
Glass has been hugely impressed by his captain’s adaptability, pointing to the veteran’s peerless reading of the game as crucial in compensating for his lack of height.
On the comparison with all-time great Miller, the head coach referenced a certain Alex Mcleish as he pointed out: ‘Well, Willie played in a pair — and a very good pair at that!
‘But an experienced player who can play there is vital. A leader like that at the back of the pitch, someone who can see everything, is important. ‘When Scott’s playing midfield, he gets deeper anyway, sits in between the centre-backs to get the ball and build play even when we’re playing with a four at the back. ‘So that’s how you’re able to almost sell it to the players as well, the fact that nothing much has changed in the last two weeks, even though we’ve changed shape a wee bit. ‘But we’ve got options with Scott there, we can always push him into midfield like we did against Hibs, within the game. ‘His ability to read the game definitely has made up for any lack of height. ‘You are seeing him being so good positionally that he’s making clearing headers. It’s an extra body in the box when crosses are getting slung in. ‘That was the biggest threat Rangers were going to pose us on Wednesday night, the great deliveries they put in from their full-backs. ‘We knew that was where we were going to give that up a little bit. But we had the bodies to deal with it — Scott included.
‘He’s doing everything we’ve expected him to do. And more.’
There’s a definite irony to Brown earning such high praise for a natural tendency to drop into the space between a pair of central defenders.
If that was often a point of criticism among Celtic fans, his ability to build from the back has become crucial for the Dons.
Asked if Brown’s performances in defence had made it difficult to shift him back into midfield, Glass referenced Aberdeen’s injury problems as he admitted: ‘Well, I’ve not got much choice at the minute, if we want to play three! Unless you’ve got another defender for me…
‘We’ve got the choice to play four at the back, or three. Scott gives us that option.’
Brown also scored his second goal of the season in midweek, a fine header from a corner putting the Dons 2-0 up against a stunned Rangers.
For Glass, it’s been great to see his old Hibs team-mate hasn’t lost all the capacity for penaltybox mayhem that made him such a threat as a youngster.
‘It’s different types of goals he’s scoring these days — he used to run 60 or 70 yards with the ball at his feet back in his younger days,’ said Glass. ‘Now he’s getting time to get up while we wait to take a corner kick!
‘He almost scored against Celtic as well. He’s dangerous in the opposition box.
‘His leadership qualities were evident the other night, the way he was dragging the team up, pulling them into position and talking at the right times. And his quality on the ball is fantastic, as well. Nothing has changed with that, we’re still delighted that he’s here.
‘I think he’s shown his real value through this little period we’ve been in, how we’ve managed to come through it.’
Aberdeen hope Christian Ramirez recovers from the slight strain that forced him off at Ibrox, with this afternoon’s visit of Hearts likely to prove another stern test for the Dons.
‘They’re unbeaten for a reason,’ said Glass. ‘They’re a tough team to beat.
‘Any time a team is on a roll like they’re on, they want to keep it going as long as possible.
‘We know how tough it will be. We think we’ve got enough to take care of it.’
Hearts boss Robbie Neilson has challenged his side to prove they can stay on the coat-tails of the Old Firm at the top of the Premiership table.
Celtic leap-frogged the Tynecastle side with victory at Hibs in midweek to climb back up to second behind rivals Rangers.
Neilson knows only too well that history dictates the Glasgow giants will now pull away from the rest but, following his side’s exciting start to the campaign, he has urged them to prove they can continue to ruffle the Old Firm’s feathers at the summit.
Having been a member of the Hearts team that split the Old Firm in 2006, Neilson insists there is no reason his talented side cannot continue to defy expectations.
‘It is about trying to win every game,’ said Neilson. ‘If you win your games, you will still be around them.
‘Rangers and Celtic have dropped points this season, will they continue to do that?
‘Generally they’ll put the foot down and start to get away but it’s up to us to try and stay there. Depending on how results go, we can get ourselves back in the mix.’