Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Ikpeazu backing his boss
Hearts 3 Inverness 0
But former Celtic No.2 Johan Mjallby insists if the midfielder leads his club to a treble Treble, it will mean more to him than any amount of money for mid-table mediocrity in England.
The Hoops skipper was on his way out of the club under Tony Mowbray back in January 2010, just two months before Lennon took the reins.
A deal had been agreed with Newcastle United but Celtic ultimately changed their minds on letting the star leave. It was a Sliding Doors moment for both
Brown and Lennon that fate eventually threw them together.
Lennon made Brown his captain, a leadership role he’s made his own in the nine years since.
Now they’re back together, chasing the same dream – and
Celts idol Mjallby reckons the stage is set for Brown to fulfil his destiny.
The Swede said: “Captaining
Celtic to a treble Treble is much better than playing in England for a few years.
“Scott is already a legend in a way but I would doubt if a treble Treble would ever been done again.
“I am not surprised Scott is still at Celtic though – he’s comfortable here. He has a great position as captain of the club, he wins trophies, plays in Europe every year and that means more than playing for a mid-table team in England, earning more money.
“That doesn’t matter to him and I like him even more for that. Scott is more interested in being influential for Celtic and entering the history books. The Premier League is one of the best, if not the biggest, in the world but it DEREK McINNES has heard every criticism of Sam Cosgrove in his 14 months at Pittodrie – but is proud to have stuck with him and proven the doubters wrong.
The striker (left) passed the impressive 20-goal milestone with a double against Dundee last weekend.
And the Aberdeen manager
(right), ahead of today’s massive cup semi-final at Hampden Park, said: “It tells me a lot about him because I knew what everybody was saying about him – that he wasn’t good enough.
“The fact he has proven so many people wrong and proven me right gives me great satisfaction.
“Youngsters are much more aware of criticism and what people are saying about them nowadays. If somebody is saying something about you, it’s there and in your face. I feel for players who have to deal with it.
“But the fact Sam has dealt with it and brushed himself down, I can see the merits in a Cosgrove playing for my team. Even when he doesn’t score goals he can still be effective. Hopefully there can be a few more goals in him yet this season.” UCHE IKPEAZU told Hearts fans to get behind boss Craig Levein after the Jambos booked their place in the William Hill Scottish Cup final.
The Gorgie gaffer came in for stinging criticism from a section of the home support after losing to Hibernian in the Edinburgh derby last week.
However, it was all smiles at Hampden Park after 24-year-old Englishman Ikpeazu hammered in the opener early in the second half before racing to celebrate with Levein.
Defender John Souttar added a second in the 66th minute and substitute Sean Clare made it 3-0 from the spot in the 74th after Inverness goalkeeper Mark Ridgers had fouled Ikpeazu, securing a final meeting with either Aberdeen or Celtic.
Afterwards, the former Cambridge United player, who joined the Ladbrokes Premiership side last summer, said: “I say to all the fans who are getting on him, get behind him.
“He is a great manager and we are going to achieve great things. Have patience and believe in him because he is a good manager and a good person.
“The owner, the board, my team-mates, everyone is supporting him, he is a brilliant manager. Results haven’t gone our way but he has got us to a final.
“He has shown a lot of faith in me and he always believes in me and that means a lot.
“First and foremost it is about the team and scoring is amazing. I am delighted.”
Scotland defender Souttar “guessed” that Olly Lee’s corner would find its way to the back post for him to volley in.
He said: “I feel brilliant. It is brilliant to be involved in that sort of occasion.
“That’s why you come to Hearts to play in games like that. We have had a difficult spell and now to get to a cup final, do it 3-0 and to score a goal is great.
“I don’t score many so I just guessed and it is a bit of blur.”