I’VE GOT TO BE SELFISH NOW

Scott fears England tie will curtail rest period

IRRESPECTIVE of the verdict Scott Brown reaches on his Scotland future, he knows one thing. This time the decision will be final. There can be no question of selective patriotism. Of picking and choosing his games or turning up when it suits.

We heard all this last time. When Brown announced his international retirement last summer, that was supposed to be it. The end of his international road after 50 caps; a natural, neat cut-off point.

He only relented four months later because Gordon Strachan, a former manager and a friend, needed him. In truth, Scotland’s manager still does. Anything other than a win over Slovenia in March would remove any slither of hope from a World Cup qualifying campaign which already looks pretty hopeless.

Yet when it comes to club versus country conundrums, there can only ever be one winner.

Even if Brown agreed to go one more time against Slovenia in March, the spectre of a home return against England on June 10 looms. A mere ten days before Celtic’s return to pre-season training.

Excusing himself once again — when it suits — would send out the wrong message.

‘I don’t want to be the guy who comes back in then chops and changes his mind,’ said the Parkhead skipper after a training session in Dubai yesterday.

‘I can’t say: “I’m coming back — but I’m just not playing in the England game.”

‘I can’t do that, that wouldn’t be fair on anyone. I can’t pick and choose my games, so I know I need to make a decision one way or the other.’

But for the England game in June, the decision would be easier to negotiate. And be more likely to end in Strachan’s favour.

Nineteen points ahead in the Premiership, Celtic are coasting towards the title. There are no European games to stretch them either.

For Brown and other key players, there will be opportunities to rest limbs in the final weeks of the season and, in those circumstances, lending a helping hand to Strachan wouldn’t be a huge stretch.

The scheduling of an England game on June 10 is the issue. The reason the signs in Dubai all point to Brown calling it a day once more. ‘I have got to be selfish,’ he said. ‘Listen, I want to play for Scotland, of course I want to play for Scotland. I have enjoyed every single moment of my 51 caps.

‘I still want to get to a Euros and get to a World Cup. And I feel I can still offer more.

‘But that might take away from how I’m playing for Celtic right now, so I have to mix and match what’s good for me and whether I give it one last attempt.’ Physically, he feels fine. After hirpling around a football pitch last season, people were already penning obituaries for his career.

He was helped by a summer of rest and relaxation, allied to the arrival of Brendan Rodgers.

‘I had six weeks off and my entire body got a rest,’ he said.

‘I chilled and did nothing for that whole time. I literally did nothing, I didn’t even go to the gym.

‘I just relaxed and I’d never had that before.

‘I then came back for pre-season fully focused and ready to go, and I’ve enjoyed every single moment, instead of coming back for preseason going: “Here we go again.”

‘It’s tough, especially here where everybody is fighting for a position. We have a great squad with a lot of new bodies coming in as well, so you’ve got to be selfish sometimes.

‘I do want to play for Scotland. But Scotland play on June 10 and we’re back in for the Champions League qualifiers on June 20.’

The great shame for the national team is obvious here.

Brown is pondering his Scotland future at a time when he is playing the best football of his career.

In a Champions League group featuring Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach, he was not only comfortable. He excelled.

A deeply divisive figure in Scottish football, he would inevitably face more criticism if he retired again.

‘That doesn’t bother me, it’s my decision at the end of the day. As long as I’m happy I couldn’t care less what anyone else thinks, to be perfectly honest.

‘People may say I should play for longer and others may think I’m not doing myself justice.

‘But I know my body. I know what it needs and when it needs it.

‘When the Scotland games come along I look forward to meeting Strach, the backroom staff and the boys.

‘There is then nothing better than actually playing for your country.

‘But if we got to the (Scottish) cup final that would be May 27 — and then I’ve got training with Scotland until the 10th of June.

‘That’s an extra two weeks I could have been chilling out and relaxing.’

As an international manager, Strachan’s bargaining tools are limited. There are no financial incentives to play for Scotland and, even if there were, it’s not about that.

A call-up for Stuart Armstrong, Brown’s Celtic team-mate, is one potential carrot.

‘Stuart has been fantastic,’ added his captain. ‘He’s got great energy and that’s what Scotland needs.

‘If you don’t have top, top quality players then you need guys who can play a pressing game and Stu, myself, James Morrison, Darren Fletcher can do that.’

Yet all the noises yesterday pointed to the likelihood of Armstrong replacing Brown in the Scotland midfield rather than partnering him.

Promising to give the matter plenty of thought before a likely decision at the beginning of March, Brown added: ‘I will speak to Brendan about it and I’ll speak to Gordon as well. Between the three of us we’ll come up with a solution.

‘It is what it is — I’m not set on not coming back, just as I’ve not decided to stay.

‘In the next couple of weeks, I’ll sit down with both of them and know before the game in March.

‘They won’t be pushing me either way. They get on great together. Gordon knows it’s my decision but so does Brendan.

‘No matter what happens I can tell people this; it’ll be 100 per cent my decision.’

‘I have to mix and match what will be good for me’