Scott Brown

He definitely has, and he's put Broonie in a difficult position. Not sure he'd want to step up and say, here I think you should be giving the new guys a chance, would look bad. Lennon should have planned this out ages ago, playing one or the other along side him even. Been handled terribly I think.

 

Even last season when playing well he wasn't being subbed off after we had won the game within an hour. Playing someone in their mid 30s 3 times a week, every week for 90 minutes most games was insane. I actually think the last 10 games of last season was an easy time to blood the next generation but Lennon didn't bother.

 

NEIL Lennon tonight described Scott Brown’s attitude since being dropped as “magnificent” – and suggested the Celtic captain was a strong contender to start in the William Hill Scottish Cup final on Sunday.

Brown was dropped by Lennon earlier this month after a run of just two wins in 12 matches that had left the Parkhead club trailing Rangers by 13 points in the Premiership.

Ismaila Soro, the Ivorian midfielder who moved to Glasgow in January, came in for his skipper and performed well as the Scottish champions record back-to-back wins over Lille and Kilmarnock.


However, Lennon suggested last weekend that he could turn to the players who had taken Celtic to the brink of a quadruple treble against Hearts at Hampden.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, he said: “Scott has been fantastic and he is quite a unique individual. He has carried the dressing-room for a long, long time - through thick and thin.

"Even being left out of the team, his attitude has been magnificent. He still tries to galvanise everyone.


"At the end of the day, he is an icon at the club, a modern-day great. And he may have a chance of starting on Sunday!

"I have been there when you start to come to the end of your career. It's tough.

"You want to hang in there and he still has plenty to offer on and off the field, there is no question of that.

 

Would be foolish to start him at the moment....

 

Would agree to put him on for the last 20 minutes or so (if we are at least 2-0 up), I think his experience could prove useful in wrapping up the result.

 

I’m taking from the above clip hes starting to realise Brown starting is not a good idea and he’s banking we will get to the final again this season and he could play that one. Been wrong before though...

it would be unforgivable if he started and was run right over the top of by Hearts and we lost the game. Starting players on them just being ‘modern day greats’ and the fact they played in the previous cups and league successes shouldn’t be happening. He’s had loads of finals he’s hardly in desperate need of 1 before the end of the career. Play our current strongest side, it’s a cup final ffs not a testimonial.

 

This should not even be up for discussion.

Win quick and bring him on last 15....

That is the way any forward thinking manager should be thinking.

 

I still think Brown has a lot to offer from the bench. Not just to shore up things to hold on for a result but to also lift the team if it's a stale performance (which I don't think we've seen the end of despite 2 wins).

 

I feel the complete opposite

I think he’s starting Brown but saw the reaction to his comments about players from last year earning the right to play in it etc. And is now just not confirming it to try and keep the fans onside until the final.

If he wasn’t playing I think he’d have already told Brown and would make it public that he was running with the current starters.

 

Give the illusion that he's actually contemplating not starting him when we all know he will.

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If it turns into a midfield battle and the diets are getting carte blanche to kick lumps out of us from the ref (which is more than likely) then Broony could come on to help win the battle.

 

You never know he might surprise you

 

And that's exactly how he should be used for the rest of the season barring any injuries. I would even start him on a coaching role if he hasn't been doing already and get rid of Strachan.

 

Looking forward to him running the show on Sunday, hope he scores.

 

?

 

Hope he plays at some point, bring on as late sub so he can lift the cup..

Not sentiment, just to grind the gears of every hun on the planet. \o/

 

CALLUM McGregor last night predicted that leaving his central midfield partner Scott Brown out of the Celtic side in the last two matches could prove be a managerial masterstroke by Neil Lennon in the William Hill Scottish Cup final tomorrow.

The build-up to the match against Hearts at Hampden tomorrow has been dominated by speculation about whether Parkhead captain Brown will be restored to the starting line-up or Ismaila Soro will retain his place.

Soro performed superbly in the middle of the park as the Glasgow club ended a disappointing run of form and defeated Lille in the Europa League and Kilmarnock in the Premiership last week and many fans would like to see him involved from kick-off.


However, McGregor has heard Brown being written off many times before during the seven seasons that he has played alongside him - and has seen him bounce back and silence his detractors on every single occasion.

The Scotland internationalist fully expects his skipper to be refreshed and have a point to prove to his doubters when the rescheduled final gets underway.


“You write him off at your peril,” he said. “He has that mentality. You don’t play at this club for 13 years, have such a good career and be a winner so many times if you don’t have that mentality. It’s not possible.

“The amount of times he’s come back to prove people wrong speaks for itself. Every time someone does say something about him, he comes back and plays even better. It could be a masterstroke.

“The thing about Broony is that he is 35. He might still play like he’s 26 as he’s full of energy. But you do have to remember his age as well. It’s a big ask to play two or three games a week at real high intensity, the way we like to play, high tempo, high pressing.

“He is 35 so it is a big ask. So you might have to manage him a little bit differently to previous seasons. But by no means is he starting to slow down. It’s just a case of the manager picking and choosing the right times to unleash him.”


McGregor was impressed by how Soro, the Ivorian who joined Celtic back in January, acquitted himself against Lille and Kilmarnock and is confident that both he and David Turnbull, who was also brought in for those fixtures, will do well if they are given the nod.

However, he has found the criticism of Brown, who was outstanding in the 2-0 triumph over Aberdeen in the semi-final at Hampden last month, ridiculous and will be buoyed if he is joined by him in Lennon’s XI.

“Broonie is a living legend at the club,” he said. “When he plays in the team he has this aura about him. He carries the team, he carries the responsibility. He is a huge player for us and will continue to be a huge player for us.

“I have loved playing in beside him. I have learnt so much off him and continue to do so every single day in training. He is somebody I have got huge, huge respect for.


“It is dead easy when you are on the outside looking in. You can see he didn’t play for two games and Celtic won two games and say it’s his fault. There was actually a lot different in performance levels and the team in general.

“I think it is a wee bit disrespectful when people are saying things like that when you look at what he has actually done at this club. He has had a hugely successful career and a few weeks ago in the semi-final he was arguably the best player on the pitch. He is very much still in form.”

McGregor continued: “He has been out for two games to freshen the team up, Soro has come in and done great, he looks to have huge potential. I am sure he will go on to fulfil that if he keeps working hard, keeps his feet on the ground and does all the right things.

“The amount of good players we have got playing well is obviously a bonus for Celtic. It’s a call for the manager. I am sure that whoever plays on Sunday will be 100 per cent ready to go.”








Celtic manager Neil Lennon last night stressed there will be no sentimentality in his team selection for the William Hill Scottish Cup final against Hearts at Hampden tomorrow.

Lennon has left his captain Scott Brown out of his starting line-up in the last two games against Lille in the Europa League and Kilmarnock in the Premiership.

The Parkhead club, who had won just twice in 12 games before last week, recorded back-to-back victories with Ismaila Soro in central midfield.

Many Celtic fans would like to see the diminutive Ivorian retain his place – but Lennon revealed at the weekend that he could remain loyal to the players who had got to the final.


However, the Northern Irishman, whose team is bidding to complete the quadruple treble, insisted yesterday he will pick what he thinks is the strongest starting line-up.

“I’m not aware of the speculation as you keep yourself away from that,” he said. “I think we’re more or less set on the team that we’ll start with. We might have to make a decision on one position.


“But there will be no sentimentality or anything like that. We’re going to pick a team to win the game.”

However, Lennon admitted that experience would play a key role in deciding the final between the Premiership champions and their Championship rivals.

“It’s really important at times,” he said. “And we have a squad full of experience at this level.

“He (Brown) is a fabulous captain, fabulous player and I think at times we do miss him when he is not there.

"That's been the case, albeit in the last couple of games we have been giving him a bit of a rest, the team have played very well. There is no question he is a huge presence on and off the field.

"As regards team selection, as I said, there will be no sentimentality involved in my thinking behind that with my backroom team."

Lennon admitted the wins over Lille and Kilmarnock had lifted his players ahead of the meeting with Hearts this weekend and is hopeful they can complete another clean sweep of domestic silverware.

 

Calmac may be talking Brown up as he his his Captain, but Calmac has played his best games when he is not playing along side Brown.