ANOTHER ONE FOR THE ROAD

50 not out but now Brown is planning the next stage on his Scotland journey

AS he prepares to join the pantheon of Scotland’s half-centurions, Scott Brown has cause to be thankful he is seemingly immune to one of the modern- day game’s unfortunate ills.

For a growing number of top-class players, reaching the age of 30 sees them arrive at the major crossroads of their careers.

Those for whom international football has been only a sporadic distraction and who — privately — view it as a hindrance to extending their highly- lucrative playing careers, are generally seen taking the easier road. That’s the one that begins with a stage-managed exit from the international scene.

Then there are those — like Brown — who are made of sterner stuff. Those who would require wild horses to prevent them f rom traversing the alternative path.

Brown, who will win his 50th cap against Denmark tonight, may have had his tongue gently embedded in his cheek when he claimed his pace had now gone but he needs no one to remind him how physically taxing 13 years of unrelenting midfield combat can be.

While it would still have been surprising had the Celtic skipper called time on his Scotland career after t he f ail ure of t he l ast campaign, plenty of others in his position wouldn’t have given it a second thought.

For the Fifer, though, the act of pulling on a dark blue j ersey remains every bit as thrilling as when he made his debut against the USA 11 years ago.

To spin an old phrase on its head, the 30-year- old is still minded to demonstrate what he can do for his country as opposed to what his country can do for him.

Asked if retirement even entered his head after the last campaign, Brown replied: ‘No. I owe Gordon (Strachan) a lot. He brought me to Celtic and made me captain of Scotland.

‘I would never turn my back on him. If he wants me to come along when I’m 40, I will still be turning up. Even if it’s only for banter.

‘It’s good to work with Gordon and get f resh ideas. I enjoyed my time with him at Celtic, he made me a great player and got me the Player of the Year award, as well.

‘ I enjoyed every single moment of it with him and I’ m enjoying Scotland with him even more than I have i n the past.

‘It is really enjoyable for me. I don’t get to see the kids as much as I would like, but I have to look to the future as well. We are in a hotel three times a week with Celtic, t hen I ’ m away coaching t he Under-20s, as well. So if I get a couple of days off, it’s good to chill with the family.’

Such s t ol e n moments ar e increasingly at a premium.

As with his ongoing Scotland commitments, Brown doesn’t need to traipse across the country helping out Celtic’s next generation.

The rewards for doing so, however, extend beyond seeing the likes of Kieran Tierney progress to the point where he, too, is likely to make his debut against the Danes this evening.

While coaching is evidently an i nvestment i n his own future, Brown believes the pay- offs can also be seen in the here and now.

‘You do understand the game a bit better when you are coaching,’ he added. ‘ Especially as a central midfield player, I notice stuff and try to think of what I would do or what other players have done against me.

‘You look at space and how you find space. Other people have abilities I’ve never had, so I’m always willing to learn more. That helps me now. I look at the game a little bit better than I did when I was 20.’

Fittingly, Brown spent a few moments yesterday looking back at the road that’s taken him to the brink of this landmark occasion.

Over a decade on from replacing Nigel Quashie for the remaining 17 minutes of a challenge match at Hampden, he is just about come to terms with being denied a debut goal that day.

‘It was a great ball from James McFadden, I think, and I somehow managed to control it and outpace the centre-half, which you don’t see me do much these days,’ he recalled. ‘ Somehow I got in between t heir t wo centre-halves to put it in the back of the net beyond Kasey Keller.

‘It was a poor offside decision and I was devastated not to get the goal on my debut. But it was still a great experience. ‘ Walter ( Smith) was good for me. He gave me my first cap and first opportunity with the senior squad. ‘You always remember managers who do that. It’s the same with Gordon Strachan now. He made me captain and I’ll always thank him for that.’

Like most players of his generation, it would be under the all-too brief tenure of Alex McLeish that the most memorable moment arrived, though.

‘The main one was beating France in Paris with Faddy’s goal,’ he smiled.

‘We defended for 90 minutes and he hit a wonder strike from 35 yards. It is always going to stick in my mind. We matched them, although our goalie (Craig Gordon) had to make some great saves.

‘I remember Alan Hutton and myself were on the right, playing up against Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka. We were the young kids up against two of their most experienced players.

‘We were up for the fight, we scrapped hard and that’s what got us there. I’ve been lucky to be on the pitch for Scotland against some great players and we have matched most of them.

‘We seem to play better against the best teams. We matched two great teams in Poland and Ger many during the last campaign.’

Despite facing some of the finest players on the planet on both club and international duty over the past decade, Brown has never been one to seek out material souvenirs.

‘I try to get off the park as quickly as possible,’ he revealed.

‘I’ve got a few opposition shirts, but I’m not really too keen on running about and asking someone for their jersey after we’ve lost or even just drawn.

‘It’s just not me. I just want to get away and focus on the next game. I won’t be running about looking for a shirt, just because it’s Andrea Pirlo or whoever. Some people might think that’s all right, but I don’t believe in it.’

You can only admire t hat uncompromising, business- like attitude. It’s part of the package that will see him become just the 30th Scot to cl ock up t he half-century.

Like fellow members of the 50-cap club — Hutton and Strachan among them — Brown would gladly trade a percentage of those caps for an imminent end to our exile from international competitions.

‘Yes, absolutely,’ Brown added. ‘I’d give three or four of them up to make sure we get to a tournament. It’s hard to take not getting there.

‘Everyone is going to watch the Euros this summer and it’s going to be a disappointing feeling, knowing we were so close to achieving that goal. But now we have a World Cup campaign to look forward to.

‘It’s a strong group we are in but we believe we are just as good as anyone on our day.’

If Gordon wants me to come along when I’m 40, I’ll still be turning up