NEVER SAY NEVER

Brown focus is on new deal and playing career but skipper isn’t ruling out becoming Celtic boss

SCOTT most placed to believe he can be the manager of Celtic one day. Yet the Parkhead captain is clear that day remains a long way in the future. Assuming it ever happens at all.

First, he wants to milk every last moment from his playing career. Then comes a spell of learning his trade, working his way up the coaching ladder.

Next summer he pursues his A Licence, with talk of a role behind the scenes at Lennoxtown.

But Brown is clear he won’t allow his long-term ambitions to impede his desire to play for Celtic as long as he possibly can.

‘Myself, the gaffer and Peter (Lawwell) have been chatting and it seems to have gone well,’ he said of contract talks.

‘I am just concentrating on playing right now. I’ll go and do my badges in the summer but I’ll see how long my legs last before I think about moving upstairs.

‘It’s a great honour to be playing at the club for so long and for them to be helping me out with a coaching role, whether it’s under-16s or whatever.

‘It’s an exceptional place to get a start. I’ve learned a lot under the manager here and the previous managers.

‘But I’m still playing, so I’ve not thought about managing the club one day.

‘You never know. The manager here now has set a great standard and I still have a lot to learn.

‘I’m learning every day, from his sessions, the way he deals with situations, the media, public, everything. It’s all first class.

‘It’s why he has the reputation of being a top manager.’

Asked how Brown the coach would deal with Brown the player, he resorts to humour.

‘I’d give him a new six-year deal,’ he laughed. ‘That would be the first thing I’d do!

‘As for the media, you wouldn’t get in the building...’

Ban the Press is a view fans of clubs up and down the country tend to share universally. Yet, since the arrival of Rodgers as manager, Brown has begun to think about the game a little differently to the rank and file.

The rough edges are still there. The capacity to wind up rival supporters to the point of distraction will probably never leave. Yet the 33-year-old has learned much from the manager who gave him a new lease of life on arrival two years ago.

‘There’s a new way of working,’ he said. ‘It’s not laid back but it’s about sitting down and thinking about how you are working.

‘You’re still looking to outsmart other managers, tactically.

‘It’s about game awareness more than shouting and throwing pots of tea at people.

‘Am I more Lenny (Neil Lennon) than Brendan? I don’t know.

‘Lenny didn’t throw pots of tea either.

‘He worked with Martin O’Neill and Gordon (Strachan), two top bosses. I don’t know about Martin, but Gordon had a bit of both. He was great on the field but he could snap as well.

‘Whether it’s now or ten years ago, to be a good manager you need a bit of both. You take a bit from every manager you work with when you go down that road.’

What he won’t do is plunge straight in. Ronny Deila offered an insight into what happens when a talented coach jumps too high too soon.

Brown plans to take his time and learn from his mistakes first.

‘You need to become a coach before you become a manager. You can’t just jump in with both feet’ he said.

‘I look at John Kennedy. He’s done it the right way. He started as a scout, was on the computer and doing bits and bobs then out watching games, doing his licence and he got his chance under Ronny Deila.

‘He’s really kicked on and has been great for the manager and for us. You can talk to Kendo about how to put on a session and he’s really helped me going through my B Licence.

‘He’ll be a great help when it comes to my A as well.

‘I’m watching games differently and I’ve started taking notes — although there’s lots of spelling mistakes...’

If or when he becomes a boss in his own right, Brown admitted he would love to have a James Forrest in his team. The Parkhead winger scored four goals in the 6-0 thrashing of St Johnstone before the international break, and his captain said: ‘James was my player of the year last year — by far. ‘He was exceptional for us and for Scotland. What more can you ask for? ‘He’s added goals to his game this last few years, he produced decoy runs and is defending as well as attacking. ‘It just shows the spirit of the wee man that whatever manager comes in, he is always one of the first names on the teamsheet. ‘He creates chances and is very unselfish. That’s what you want in a team-mate.’