More comebacks than Sinatra, but I’m all for it
There are two ways to make decisions in football.
You can either use your head or your heart. But whichever I use when thinking about Scott Brown pulling on a Scotland shirt again, the result is the same.
I want to see Broony back in the national side.
I understand why people might be wary. The Celtic skipper has retired from international football twice now, and some will accuse him of having more comebacks than Frank Sinatra.
He’s also 34 years old and plays in an area of the park where Scotland are strong.
But I don’t think there’s another Scottish midfielder that does the job Scott does.
He looks after the ball well. That goes without saying.
But is there another player in the Scotland squad with Broony’s bite?
I don’t think so, and with the Euro 2020 play-offs coming up, that could be vital.
The game against Israel is one Scotland’s players should be giving absolutely everything to win
Let’s not kid ourselves on – these games are massive.
Scotland are on the verge of qualification for a major tournament for the first time since 1998.
There is now an entire generation of Scots who have never seen their country play at a World Cup or a European Championships.
If you’d been born the day after Scotland were knocked out of the World Cup in France, you’d now be 21 years old.
That’s frightening.
But it shows how important these games in March are.
Israel are first up at Hampden, and I can’t see us losing that one.
However, if we do lose, it will prove we don’t deserve to be anywhere near the Euros.
If Steve Clarke’s side get the job done against the Israelis – as they should – they will be 90 minutes away from the tournament.
Both Norway and Serbia are tough propositions. But it will be a game Scotland’s players ought to be giving absolutely everything they’ve got to win.
Can Scott Brown help galvanise the squad under those circumstances? Absolutely. Can he do a job on the park? 100%.
So, for me, it’s a no-brainer.
And I understand from Scott’s perspective why he’s open to the prospect of returning.
He’s a player who deserves to play at a major international tournament.
I’m lucky enough to have played for Scotland at the World Cup in 1982.
Myself and Kenny Dalglish took the kick-off in our first game against New Zealand, and it’s a memory I will cherish forever.
At the time, Scotland players and fans were used to qualifying for tournaments. Nowadays, we’re not so lucky.
But we’ve got a real chance to put things right in March.
The Tartan Army will pack out Hampden against Israel, then travel in their thousands to either Norway or Serbia.
They dream of seeing their team playing on the big international stage. Steve Clarke’s players will have the same dream.
And so will Scott Brown.
Yes, my heart is having a big say in my desire to see him back in the national side.
I feel he deserves it for the way he has played for both club and country over the years. But my head thinks it’s right, too. Broony might be in the latter stages of his career, but he is still performing at the top level week in, week out.
He does a terrific job for Celtic.
For me, there’s no doubt he can also do one for Scotland.