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Sl1986

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  1. Can't see it on race card either
  2. Sep 19, 17 hours a This is the case with Scott Brown, captain of Glasgow Celtic. A £4.4 million waste of money who, in spite of his poor displays in a Celtic jersey, has somehow found himself elevated to the position of captain of the squad and an ever-present figure in the side for the past 5 seasons. A player rated highly by former managers Gordon Strachan and Tony Mowbray and the current manager Neil Lennon, as well as the current Scotland manager Craig Levein and his predecessors. Now into his 6th season at Celtic, Brown is still showing no signs of improving his game and is continuing to divide the fans in their opinions of him. Brown has always divided opinion during his time at the club. Some fans love him, some fans hate him. Some fans used to love him but now hate him, some fans used to hate him but now love him. Some fans have always loved him, others have always hated him. Unfortunately the Celtic fans who love Brown and rate him highly are somewhat deluded. I say this in the nicest possible manner, but for those who will continually disagree, consider the following questions. What exactly has Scott Brown done for Celtic to justify the signing of him? And why after 5 years at the club, does he still have his detractors? If he is such a good player for them then why are there still many Celtic fans who do not want him at the club? It is simple:- Scott Brown is simply not good enough to play for Celtic let alone captain them, and although there are many who will disagree with this article and question why he has been rated by many pundits and journalists, as well as past and current Celtic and Scotland managers, I still stick by my guns. Brown has been a massive flop at Celtic and a key figure in their failure to succeed over the past few seasons. Legendary Celtic manager Jock Stein once said- “Celtic jerseys are not for second best, the don’t shrink to fit inferior players”, and Neil Lennon and his predecessors have disregarded this philosophy by continually playing Brown. In summing up Brown’s time at the club, what exactly has he positively contributed? Not very much! Which is sad and somewhat disappointing considering Gordon Strachan forked out £4.4 million of the club’s money to Hibernian, and prise him away from the clutches of rivals Rangers, who were also highly interested in him considering they had already signed his midfield partner Kevin Thomson half-way through the previous season. Scott Brown’s football career is a complete enigma. A baffling tale of an underachieving player who was once one of the hottest properties in Scottish football who moved from Hibernian, the club that developed and nurtured him into a power, combative and energetic midfielder, to Celtic where he has shown very little signs of improving. In fact it took him till his 5TH season at the club to show any signs of being the player he was at Hibs. In 2007, at the age of 21, Brown had spent 5 seasons at Hibs, rising through the youth system which had developed young Scottish talent like himself, Thomson, Ian Murray, Steven Whittaker, Derek Riordan and Gary O’Connor, and by half-way through the 2006/07 season it was no secret that both sides of the Old Firm, plus Premiership sides Tottenham, Everton and Middlesbrough, were keen to land his signature. Indeed it was no surprise, for Brown had spent the previous 2 seasons slowly building himself a reputation as a dynamic, powerful and combative midfielder whose sheer energy and drive had been one of the catalysts in the Hibees successes, which culminated in them lifting the 2007 Scottish League Cup. To say Brown was brilliant at Hibs would be an understatement. He was phenomenal. Despite having limited passing ability and a questionable temperament, his tenacious and blistering style of play had Hibs fans drooling with delight and scouts callusing their fingers dialling managers on their mobile phones, breathlessly raving about him. At the age of 21, Scott Brown looked more than capable of slotting into a Celtic side and doing what Thomas Gravesen had failed to do the previous season. But sadly this was not to be. Partnering new signing Massimo Donati in the centre of midfield, Brown and his Italian partner got off to a positive start as Celtic recovered from a stuttering start to their season and qualified for the Champions League. But soon the warning sighs began to show. Both Brown and Donati did not appear to develop the early rapport and appeared to cancel one another out; both attacking and defending at the same time instead of one covering defensively whilst the other one attacked. Soon Celtic were in trouble, and despite qualifying for the knock-out stages of the Champions League, they were trailing Rangers in the league, and Brown’s performances were bordering on the equivalent of Stuart Slater. Although his talent was obvious, and indeed he did show glimpses of it, too often he was bossed out of a match, and too often his temper would get the better of him, resulting in a series of needless bookings. In January 2008, Celtic signed Barry Robson from Dundee Utd. At 31, Robson was significantly older than Brown and lacked technical ability, but he gave the Celtic midfield the energy and drive that Brown and Donati failed to produce. Donati soon faded out of the picture, and following another needless booking, Brown found himself suspended for the title run in of 2008. It was here where Robson and Paul Hartley pounced and made the central midfield their own with some composed and energetic display which saw Celtic justly rewarded with the SPL title on the final day of the season. Brown came on as a substitute that day, but failed to make any significant impact, however it did not stop him enjoying the post-match celebrations which he was entitled to do. However, in 48 appearances, he mustered a mere 3 goals and was regarded by the fans and the media as a disappointment. Then came the terrible news, 2 days after the title had been won, that Brown’s sister had lost her fight with skin cancer. Brown had kept her illness secret from the public, and he has to be admired for the manner in which he conducted himself at Celtic, still fighting on, despite losing his place. This put football into perspective, and the many detractors were willing to give him a second chance, after all several Celtic heroes had flopped in their début seasons with the clubs, including former midfield master Stiliyan Petrov. Unfortunately, Brown would not take his chance. He began the 2008/09 season back in the midfield, but was woeful. Never more so than in a horror-show Old Firm match at Celtic Park in August 2008 where the hoops were thumped 4-2 by their greatest rivals. Brown lasted the 90 minutes but was lucky to have lasted 2 minutes as he was so bad. Soon the fans and media were sharpening their talons. But then he began to find his feet and began to show signs of improvement. His performances became more consistent and energetic, and by Christmas Celtic were 7 points clear of Rangers and Brown was looking good, but not superb. In Europe and in Old Firm games he still looked out of his depth, and his temper problems were still causing trouble, as well as his passing ability still looking questionable. Despite this, Brown looked to be one of the better performers in a poor Celtic side which surrendered it’s 7 point lead with some needless draws and defeats. The League Cup was won with a 2-0 win over Rangers, in a match which saw Brown voted Man of the Match, but this was no mean feat. Rangers were pathetic that day, and Celtic were no better. Brown worked hard and ran about, but looked far from creative or inspirational, and had Rangers’ midfielders Steven Davis and Pedro Mendes turned up that day, things may have been different. This would be the high point of the season for the team, for after that their league form was awful and they would eventually lose the league to Rangers on the final day of the season after a series of avoidable draws and defeats. For Brown, however, it was not all doom and gloom, as he would win the Scottish Players Player of the Year Award for the season. In all fairness he had vastly improved from his poor début season, but he still looked far from the player he was at Hibernian. Despite being more energetic and consistent, he still struggled in big games and could still be a passenger in many SPL games. His third season at the club can safely be described as his worst. Under the terrible mismanagement of Tony Mowbray, Celtic endured a barren and painful season, one in which Brown came out looking bad. His form was average at first but soon slumped into mediocrity as the side fell to bits as the season wore on. A series of humiliating displays in the league and in Europe saw Celtic fall behind Rangers early on, and crash out of the Europa League at the Group Stages. It was during this season that Brown would show another one of his many flaws: his proneness to injury. He spend a few months of the season out injured and by the time he returned to the side in early 2010, Celtic’s title hopes were fading. Enter Scott Brown to help evaporate them completely! In a poorly contested Old Firm match at Ibrox in February 2010, Brown got himself stupidly sent off for clashing with Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty, and in the final minute of the match, the 10 men conceded a goal from Maurice Edu; a goal that all but sealed the title for Rangers. Brown would miss the match that would cost Mowbray his job, the horrific 4-0 smashing away to St Mirren, but would be part of the side which sank to a new lower level of depravity when they crashed out of the Scottish Cup at the semi-finals to First Division side Ross County by 2 goals to 0. Brown was hopeless against County’s midfield, and was rightfully savaged by many fans who now made it clear they wanted him to be sold. Throughout the season there had been rumours that clubs in England had been looking at him and were willing to take a gamble on him. Whether this is true or not, we will never know but if true, one must wonder why! Now Brown had hit an all time low. He was now being touted as one of the worst pieces of business in the club’s history, and rightly so. In 3 years he had been a massive disappointment and during that time the club had one a solitary SPL title with a League Cup. But what really niggled the Parkhead faithful, was that their side were losing out on trophies to one of the worst Rangers sides ever! Walter Smith may have installed guts and determination in the Ibrox side since his return in 2007, but they played some rotten football. But what mattered was that they got away with it, whereas Celtic didn’t, and in the case of Brown, for one of the hottest properties in Scottish football, he surely could outdo midfielder like Maurice Edu, who were spectacularly awful. But he didn’t. He failed. In his defence, Brown was wrongly deployed on the left of midfield at times, where he simply could not function, and his injuries had affected him badly, but in terms of value for money, Celtic had been conned. And what also got on the supporters wick was the fact that Mowbray made him club captain after flogging Gary Caldwell and Stephen McMannus in January 2010. What had Brown done to justify that move? After Mowbray’s departure and the announcement that Neil Lennon would be the new manager after taking over managerial duties following Mowbray’s sacking, Brown would mind himself something of a favourite of Lennon’s. Trusted with the captaincy, and highly valued by the Irishman, Brown would continue to produce his average to mediocre displays, in his new position on the right of midfield, as Celtic crashed out of the Champions League and the Europa League at the qualifying stages at the start of the season. After adding some more classier midfielders to his squad, in the shapes of Joe Ledley and Beram Kayal, Lennon’s side went on a 9 match winning run, before being thrashed 3-1 at home by Rangers, although Brown did not play that day. The injury curse struck again and he was out of action until December. No sooner had he recovered, he was then thrown straight back into the side as captain, despite the side doing fine without him. A red card against Motherwell in the final game of 2010 would see him miss Celtic’s fine 2-0 in over Rangers at Ibrox, proving to his fans that Celtic could play without him. Despite his many haters, there were a select number of fans, journalists and pundits who claimed that Brown was a pivotal part of the side and that without him, Celtic could not rise to the big occasions. After his suspension was over, he was yet again thrown back into the team and continued his usual disappointing performances. Then came the moment that all Celtic fans will remember him for! A pleasantly amusing moment and one of the few good things he has ever done for the club. The Broony! In a hotly contested Old Firm Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox, Scott Brown shot himself into Celtic folklore with a moment of true genius. A moment that Celtic fans who witnessed it that day, would not forget in a hurry. Trailing Rangers 2-1, but completely outplaying them, Scott Brown sent a stunning 20 yard shot right into the right-hand corner of the Rangers net, then immediately turned to Rangers’ on loan striker El Hadji Diouf, a man hated by Celtic fans for some unforgivable behaviour at Celtic Park during his days at Liverpool, and celebrated right in his face, arms outstretched in a pose mimicking the Jesus statue in Rio De Janeiro, staring right into the eyes of the Rangers player, who was obviously disgusted. It was a tremendous goal and celebration which got it right up the hated Diouf and made every Celtic fan jump for joy, but again it would be one moment of greatness for every hundred moments of rubbish mediocrity. Celtic would draw that match 2-2 and would win the replay at Celtic Park 1-0, but by then Brown and Diouf had taken their subsequent feud to the press to attack one another verbally, and although Brown would succeed in really winding up the Senegalese player, he would end the season with egg in his face, as Rangers would beat Celtic 2-1 in the League Cup Final that year, another big game in which Brown failed to turn up, and agonisingly, they would pip Celtic to the SPL trophy again, winning their third in a row. Diouf would savour these moments and take time to shove his victory right in Brown’s face, even though he himself had done absolutely nothing to contribute towards Rangers’ success. Brown did lift his first trophy as skipper, the Scottish Cup, and had won over several of his doubters, but why? Because of one goal and a celebration? He had been an average performer all season, when fit! But Lennon stood by him and the 2011/12 season began patchily for the hoops and Brown was another contributor towards that. With his typically brutish but unconvincing style of play, Brown made fans with his commitment and determination, but failed to grasp hold of matches and help the team to win. After being injured during a 4-2 humping against Rangers at Ibrox, Brown was out for 2 months. Another injury! Celtic initially flopped without him and fell 15 points behind Rangers, but soon they capitalised on the Ibrox sides’ limitations and clawed back the deficit. Brown returned in late December and would play in the 1-0 win over Rangers, sending the bhoys to the summit of the SPL. It was a fine, hard-fought win for the team, but for the whole match Brown was an ineffective passenger who ran around the pitch like a headless chicken. But he was fit again and Lennon’s love for him saw him regain his place on the right of Celtic’s midfield. In January he would show signs of improvement with some excellent displays, including a phenomenal showing at Tynecastle, where Celtic destroyed Hearts (SFL3 feeder club) 4-0. Brown was sensational, and in his next few games he replicated that form, winning the Player of the Month Award, and finally showing the kind of form that the fans had wanted to see. He was dynamic, powerful, energetic and hungry. Things were looking good, and into February his displays were still generally good, though not as powerful. The demise of Rangers, in mid-February, all but sealed Brown his first SPL title as captain, but the side were flattering to deceive, and Brown was soon back to his old tricks. He flopped badly in the League Cup Final defeat to Kilmarnock and had the utter cheek to throw his medal away in disgust. His displays had slumped and the following week Celtic went to Ibrox in a game where they could win the title on their rivals’ own turf. Hopes were high but Celtic slumped to a 3-2 defeat. Brown did score from the penalty spot, but this goal only covered up the fact that he had one of his worst ever performances in a Celtic jersey. He was a passenger for the whole match and was outclassed by Rangers’ 19 year old midfielder Rhys McCabe. Celtic did go on to win the league, but they crashed out of the Scottish Cup against Hearts (SFL3 feeder club) in another game where Brown just did not show up! Now into the 2012/13 season, Brown’s injury woes continue, as do his poor performances. Over-rated by many fans and journalists who believe that he is a critical part of the side, Scott Brown has been a massive failure at Celtic. A complete flop who has cost the club a lot of money but failed to live up to the spending of it. He has shown glimpses of what he can do, but in general he has disappointed. Yes he has added to his game and is a fine character to have in the dressing-room, but a captain he is NOT. For those who actually believe that Scott Brown is a good player and captain for Celtic, take a long hard look at what he actually does for the team when he is actually fit. He runs around, gets skinned by opposition midfielders, plays 10 yard passes backwards and sidewards, and can hit a decent penalty. Brown is a poor passer, a passenger too often, he lacks leadership skills, and he does not score enough goals! A mere 21 goals in his 5 years at the club is a sickening statistic for a midfielder of his calibre. A contender for the Luckiest Man in Celtic’s History. An average performer who somehow managed to get appointed captain and stay there. What managers see in him is debatable, but for all the talent he has, he rarely utilises it in a Celtic or Scotland jersey. Share this: Email Facebook Digg JAMIEWRIGHT CONTACT THE AUTHOR: No comments yet. LEAVE A REPLY Name Email (never published) Website Comment
  3. Thought would have been quids in oh well
  4. Little to score any time and rangers to win was 2/1 paddy power fri
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