BROWN UNDER
Celtic legend’s possible move to Australian side set to become clearer today
SCOTT BROWN’S Celtic future should become a lot more clear today when the Australian club hoping to lure him Down Under learn if they will be playing top-flight football next season.
The Aussie FA is expected to announce in the next 24 hours if Western Melbourne have finally won a protracted battle to secure one of two proposed new franchise spots in the country’s A-League.
That means Brown is likely to know by tonight whether or not there will be a concrete contract offer to become the would-be club’s marquee signing in time for the start of next season.
Brown has been locked in talks with Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell over a new Parkhead deal since the start of this campaign and it’s understood the offer of an extension remains on the table.
But both Lawwell and manager Brendan Rodgers have afforded their 33-year-old skipper extra time to make a final decision while the Australian league expansion plans
have been delayed and clouded in confusion.
Last night there were even 11th-hour suggestions the launch of a new-look top flight could be further postponed until 2020 – a move that would effectively torpedo Melbourne’s hopes of landing Brown for at least another 12 months.
The FFA board met through the night to discuss rubber-stamping the new licences with an official announcement expected imminently in Sydney.
Brown is currently facing a fight to win a regular starting place back in Rodgers’s midfield after recovering from a hamstring injury.
He was left on the bench for the Betfred Cup Final win over Aberdeen and was overlooked again at the weekend when Celtic romped to victory in a top-of-the-table clash with Kilmarnock.
Meanwhile, Rodgers has admitted he could double or treble his wages elsewhere but knows the money wouldn’t buy him the same happiness he has at Celtic.
The Hoops boss, who has won seven trophies in a row, was the subject of a mega-rich approach from the Chinese Super League in the summer but turned it down to stay at Parkhead.
Rodgers, speaking in an interview for shirt sponsor Dafabet, said: “Being here doesn’t make me any less ambitious. It is what makes me happy as a coach and a manager.
“For me, that is about developing players and winning matches in the preferred way I work.
“I could leave Celtic and maybe double or treble my wages by going elsewhere but it wouldn’t guarantee me happiness.
“If you are happy at your work and have good energy hopefully you’re going to be successful. For me, that place is here at Celtic.”