Brown should have made top-player shortlist insists manager as Celtic captain is snubbed by fellow pros
Brendan Rodgers has questioned whether Celtic captain Scott Brown’s demeanour on the pitch has contributed to his omission from the PFA Scotland Player of the Year shortlist.
Three of Brown’s teammates – Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele and Stuart Armstrong – were joined on the final list of four nominees by Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes. Celtic manager Rodgers believes Brown has been the most consistent and influential player in Scotland this season and is taken aback by the snub he has received from his fellow professionals.
While the annual awards should not be a popularity contest, there is a school of thought that Brown’s intensely combative and occasionally belligerent attitude in matches may have caused opposition players to cast their votes elsewhere.
“I don’t know [if it’s because they don’t like him],” said Rodgers. “He has got that about him, no doubt about it. Before I knew him, even I thought he could do with smiling a bit more.
“But he is two different people. The man on a dayto-day basis is totally different to the guy you see in the tunnel, stary-eyed, aggressive. My experience of the best players, the world-class ones, is that they all have the edge. He has the edge. Maybe there are not enough players of that level.
“I am very surprised Scott’s not on the shortlist. I look at N’golo Kante at Chelsea, a central midfield player who is not flash and does the dirty work – but does it to a real top level and has won the PFA award in England this season. For us up here, that’s what Scott Brown does. I don’t know how he was last year, but consistently over 50 games this season he has been a top performer. He has had one bad game, Hearts away when we clinched the title. Every other game he was eight out of ten, nine out of ten.
“You talk about influence and you judge people in the big pressure games. How many times have you seen the influence of Scott Brown? Minimum, he is worthy of a nomination. I respect you can only nominate a certain number but this is a guy whose level has been unbelievable throughout the season.
“The guys who score the goals get the individual rewards normally. But because of Scott’s level this season, I was surprised he wasn’t included. He is at the top of his game physically and technically.”
Rodgers admits Brown has exceeded all initial expectations he had of him when he took charge of Celtic last summer.
“You never really know until you work on a dayto-day basis with players,” added Rodgers.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with really good captains. I embrace them, let them know exactly how I work and they take their lead from that. With Scott, it was a case of looking at football in a different way, life in a different way and can you make yourself the best you can be? The way he takes that on, the enthusiasm he has, his energy, his happiness, is incredible. He is up for every single game. It doesn’t matter if it is Ibrox, Inverness or Airdrie. Wherever we have been this season, he has been on it.
“I didn’t really know the old Scott Brown but I knew what I wanted from the one who would work with me. I also think you can still learn at that age. Scott has adapted his lifestyle and you see it in the games. Not just running about, playing football. Being a real thinking player as well as having the other side.
“You know when he is in the room. But it is a great energy, a positive energy. He is selfless. He does everything for the team. He is a great captain and now that he has made these changes he can go on for longer than he probably thought he could.
“He is priceless for me. If he wanted to go, he would have left a number of years ago. I know big teams down south who were looking at him. If he didn’t go then, he is certainly not going to go now. He is in a great place in his life.”