SCOTT PLANS TO LIVE THE DREAM
Celts’ skipper has three big targets for next season
THE trophy has yet to be presented. No medal has been collected. Already, though, Celtic captain Scott Brown is looking beyond this latest title triumph to what could be the season of his dreams. Such is the relentless nature required to fulfil his ambitions.
The 29-year-old midfielder believes Ronny Deila’s side will be back next term determined to make another push for the Treble that eluded them this time.
In conjunction with that drive for further domestic dominance comes a deep desire to make the group stage of the Champions League. That was something sorely absent from Deila’s first campaign in charge.
Then there is Scotland. After 17 years of disappointment, the chance to help the national side make a long-awaited return to a major finals looms large in the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
With all those tempting targets in front of him, it was little wonder that Brown spoke yesterday of his desire to play on for as long as possible.
‘It’s going to be a huge season,’ he admitted. ‘Scotland would love to get to the Euro finals, as well as us getting into the Champions League.
‘It will be the biggest push possible from us towards that at the start of the season and, hopefully, we will be coming back fit, sharp and ready to go from the middle of July.
‘You have to plan ahead at this club. The manager is already looking at pre-season, what he wants us to do. He will be looking to see what we come back like after the summer. You can’t just play in the moment, you must look as far ahead as possible and get everything sorted.’
Brown believes Celtic are ready for the challenges ahead. New signings will be made in the close season — and could be balanced by departures — but the skipper feels the European qualifiers should hold no fears given the progress made under Deila following the manager’s somewhat traumatic start to his tenure.
‘ We aren’t missing anything,’ insisted Brown, when quizzed on what the squad required. ‘We are scoring goals, we are working hard. The gaffer has set up the team and the squad perfectly now.
‘We brought in two great players in January in Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven — guys with great pace. They have given us a boost. There’s a lot of competition for places now.’
A hamstring tear sustained against Rapid Vienna saw Brown sidelined last summer as Celtic found themselves in the ignominious position of blowing two shots at qualifying f or the Champions League.
‘I’m not one who enjoys watching when I feel as if I should be out there helping,’ he added. ‘I felt for the lads at the start. We had a new manager and we were all adapting to the style.
‘We were sixth in the league at one point, but now we are champions and flying high. Getting these big nights back at Celtic Park is an absolute must.
‘Everyone thrives on Champions League nights. It’s amazing walking out of the tunnel to 60,000 fans.’
Kris Commons sparked debate at the weekend by suggesting the current Celtic squad was better than the one which reached the last 16 of Europe’s premier tournament under Neil Lennon. It was a bold claim and one Brown feels can only be judged on the pitch.
‘To be fair, there were great players in that team and we have great players now,’ he argued. ‘It’s always easy to say it’s definitely a better squad but we need to prove it.
‘We need to go into the Champions League and show that we are just as good as we were two or three seasons ago.’
That will indeed be the proving ground as regards just how far Celtic have come under Deila.
There were signs in the narrow defeat to Inter Milan in the Europa League knockout stage that the Norwegian was getting to grips with those high-level demands.
So much pressure will, however, rest on the three ties that must be negotiated in July and August to bank the £16million Champions League bounty.
Brown has watched Deila steadily grow into his role, as he has learned more and more about just what is expected at Celtic.
‘Everyone loved Lenny and it helped that he loved and knew everything about the club,’ added Brown.
‘When the manager came in, no one really knew who he was. But, slowly, everyone started to follow him and you can see now that he loves the club. He is enjoying life in Scotland and not many foreigners can say that.
‘When he came in, I was on holiday but he phoned me. He was positive from the start about how we would play. He wanted to change a few things, but not go in all gung-ho.
‘It has worked. The lads are all enjoying it and are following the way the boss wants to do things. He wants us to press up the park, play with a high tempo and that suits my game.
‘I enjoy putting people under pressure to win the ball back in situations when they might not expect us to win it.’
In many ways, Brown’s goal in the 5-0 romp past Dundee last Friday, when he finished off a multi-player move, was a perfect example of what Deila is trying to instil.
‘God knows how I managed to control it,’ laughed Brown. ‘That was the biggest problem with the move, but that goal did sum us up. We want to move the ball quickly and make penetrating runs.’
Scott Brown was speaking at the launch of celtic’s home kit for season 2015/ 16, which can be pre- ordered at www.newbalance.co.uk/football
You always have to look as far ahead as possible at this club