Scott Brown: This squad is good enough

Last updated : 02 June 2009 By Mikbhoy








Scott Brown's two-match suspension at the end of the season meant that Celtic were without their influential midfield dynamo, and Players' Player of the Year, for the final, vital, Glasgow derby match at Ibrox. The huns won the game 1-0 and Brown is still upset at the injustice of a disciplinary system that saw him, in effect, punished again for previous transgressions. "I was devastated at missing the game against Rangers at Ibrox." he said. "But the rules are that with six bookings you get a two-match ban. I thought that was shit. Everyone else was getting a one-match ban. Yet I got two matches for my record from two seasons ago. That made no sense to me whatsoever. I think I only had seven bookings this season."

The loss of the league flag on the last days of the season still hurts and Brown insists that the pain and the frustration will spur the side in the new season. "Losing the league was devastating," he said. "But we'll come back next season fitter and stronger. Rangers played well the whole season and credit to them. We were seven points ahead at one point, but they fought back and did very well.

"Rangers suffered hurt last season, but they dealt with it and came back stronger." he continued. "We're going to do the same as Rangers - we'll come back even stronger and hopefully there will be new faces in as well. I am confident we'll do well next season. We've still got the core of the team here, a young squad, and we all want to win things. We won the League Cup this season, but the league's the big one for us. That's the trophy we all want and we'll use our feeling of disappointment at losing it to Rangers to give us further motivation next season.

"I totally agree with Barry Robson when he says that the squad is still strong enough to be successful." said Celtic's number eight. "If you look at the squad, we've got a lot of defenders, a lot of midfielders and three or four strikers. So if we're going to add new players it will maybe be one in each area. But I don't think there's a lot that needs tinkered with. Maybe, we could bring in one or two just to put a few people under pressure."

"There's always pressure at a club like Celtic and there has been plenty of it in the last two seasons." said Brown. "Last year we had to beat Dundee United at Tannadice on the last day to win the league. And it was roles reversed with Rangers this season. They went to Tannadice knowing they would celebrate if they got a victory. We were devastated to hear their score. But now it's about showing the right character to respond next season. Rangers won more games than us, it's as simple as that. They also managed to do it away from home. I think in the last 18 games we only managed to win eight. That killed our chances, pretty much."

His Player of the Year award was well merited and Brown was delighted to accept the accolade from his peers but he'd have happily swapped that honour for another league winners medal. "The player of the year award was fantastic for me and I was really honoured to get it." he said. "But I would have traded it for the league. That's the big one. I think you could ask the Rangers lads as well and I am sure they would say the same - the league's what everyone wants. The cups are good while they are there, but I think if you ask any Celtic supporter, the league is what they all want to win too."

"That's what you really strive for as a player." he added. "There's always next season, though, and we'll give it our best shot. I feel good about myself. I feel like the players talk to me a lot, and there's a lot better players around me. It's a bigger squad too and we've got a lot more fighting for positions than there was when I was at Hibs."

Departing boss Gordon Strachan said farewell to the players at the Tommy Burns Tribute match on Sunday and Brown was sad at having to say goodbye to the man who brought him to Celtic Park from Hibernian. "Gordon came into the dressing room and spoke to the lads." he said. "He shook our hands and wished us all the best. A lot of people expected him not to show up. But it just shows the nature of the man. Tommy Burns meant a lot to him and he felt it was important to be there. I think a lot of the lads feel they owe him a lot, not just me. We are disappointed he has gone. But that's football and hopefully he goes on to bigger and better things."