Scott Brown

Scott Brown has called on the Celtic support to forgive Brendan Rodgers and welcome him back to Parkhead with open arms.

The former Parkhead boss returned to Scotland for the funeral of Billy McNeill, his first trip back north since leaving for Leicester in February.


Rodgers left Hoops fans furious when he walked out with just 11 league games to go and the club going for an unprecedented treble Treble.

Stand-in gaffer Neil Lennon has kept the dream on track and can seal the title with a point in Aberdeen today after steering the side to the Scottish Cup Final.

Skipper Brown insists there are no hard feelings from the squad towards their former manager – and hopes the punters will eventually forgive and forget, giving Rodgers a hero’s welcome the next time he sets foot inside Celtic Park.

The midfielder said: “I’m hoping that could happen one day, it would be amazing.


When people look back in 10 years’ time and see how well he did, competing for seven trophies and winning all seven, they will see it’s not a bad record.



Everyone is going to be disappointed when a manager like that leaves.

“But yet again we have another great manager who has come back in.”



Brown is determined to finish the job Rodgers started today and insists the ex-gaffer’s legacy should not be soured by the manner of his exit.

The 33-year-old credits the Northern Irishman for his late career flourish and said: “We managed to change the way we played under Brendan.

“We maybe weren’t the best team to watch in the past but Brendan came in and took all the criticism for us trying to play out from the back.

“Now everyone wants us to play out from the back in every single game and that’s down to that man taking the time and patience, settling the club down.

“He was unbelievable for me. He made the last two-and-a-half years of my career so exciting. He pushed me to levels I would never have hit if he hadn’t put that trust and belief into me.”

According to Brown, Rodgers was Celtic to the core and even though he may be gone his heart will always remain at Parkhead.

Brown said: “He’s always texting me before games, he’s always texting after games. He’s still taking a real interest in Celtic.



He loves the club inside and out and a lot of the lads are still speaking to him. He takes time to speak to us still.

“A manager who didn’t support the club or especially like the club could easily have left, deleted his contacts here, changed his number and started a brand new career at Leicester.

“It just shows you the man that he is that he still keeps in contact.”

Celtic fans still might find it hard to swallow mind you but Brown has no doubts whatsoever Rodgers wasn’t just playing to the galleries.

He added: “Yeah. He was definitely genuine enough in what he said, especially with me and all the other lads.

“You don’t keep in touch with players and text them all the time to make sure everything is going all
right if you don’t care about the club.

“I speak to him quite a lot. We just speak in general. The way his team have been playing, how I am getting on, how he is getting on. It’s just mates’ chat really. That won’t change.”



As Celtic look to finish the job the former manager started, Brown hopes the supporters will eventually see the Rodgers reign for what it was – an unparalleled success story of a man leading the side he loved.

He said: “Brendan’s reputation, for me, is unbelievable.

“He came in for two and a half years and I felt lucky to have a manager of his quality who left Liverpool after coming to within two games of winning an English title for the first time in so many years.

“For him to come to Celtic was fantastic. And the only reason we really got him at Celtic was because he was a diehard Celtic fan.

“He has gone back down the road now and we should just wish him all the best and go from there.



“We wouldn’t have had the double Treble without him. We wouldn’t have the opportunity to be eight points clear when he left with the chance of another Scottish Cup as well.

“For me he was a genius when he came in.”

The Rodgers midnight flit could have left the club in the lurch but Neil Lennon has been the perfect man to pick up the pieces and lead the side to the cusp of eight in a row.

Just one more point is required and it could be harvested at Pittodrie this afternoon.

Yet there are still some grumbles from the terraces.

The performances haven’t been up to scratch, the draws with Livingston, the Dons and Hibs have delayed the title party and given ammunition to some of the doubters.

Brown reckons it’s harsh to batter Brendan but even more ridiculous to lash Lenny.



He said: “It’s been a tough run and it’s been tough for the gaffer coming in as well after Brendan.

“He has dive-bombed into the deep end with two feet and he enjoys it as well.

“He enjoys being back with the lads and back at Celtic Park I think.

“Everyone loves him in the Lennoxtown dressing room and at Celtic Park. He has been a great man for the job.

“He just wants us to get over the line whether we win at Aberdeen or wherever.

“We just want to get over the line as quickly as possible and do it for him as well.”

Brown believes Lennon has kept the bandwagon rolling and it’s a case of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The task is simple – get the trophies in the cabinet and then go from there.

Brown said: “I don’t know, we need to wait and see. He has kept the same style and shape as Brendan had.


He said: “It’s been a tough run and it’s been tough for the gaffer coming in as well after Brendan.

“He has dive-bombed into the deep end with two feet and he enjoys it as well.

“He enjoys being back with the lads and back at Celtic Park I think.

“Everyone loves him in the Lennoxtown dressing room and at Celtic Park. He has been a great man for the job.

“He just wants us to get over the line whether we win at Aberdeen or wherever.

“We just want to get over the line as quickly as possible and do it for him as well.”

Brown believes Lennon has kept the bandwagon rolling and it’s a case of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The task is simple – get the trophies in the cabinet and then go from there.

Brown said: “I don’t know, we need to wait and see. He has kept the same style and shape as Brendan had.





We have been playing games, winning games and not conceded a lot of goals.

“I think it’s two since we came back from Dubai.

“We have tightened things at the back and we look as if we are going to score a few goals as well.

“We just need to make sure we put it all together. We’ve been trying the same style.

“Brendan was Brendan. He was very good at what he did.

“Neil is very good at what he does as well and he has just tried to keep everything running along the same lines as Brendan.” Celtic under Rodgers had a habit of turning it on when they needed it most and it’s a trait that’s been continued under Lennon.

 

Scott looking for a move to Leicester..?

 

Aye.... Too soon Broony

 

This is what winds me up when people talk about Broony being a dirty player, he gets targeted by plastic hard men in nearly every game and the critics can't handle it cause he doesn't react in the way they want, he just gets up and starts laughing at them for the little * * they are but they've got this myth the media likes to peddle and the refs seem to back them up which is basically enabling * to kick * out of him when for sure if he was making the same tackles on them he'd miss most of the season and they just can't handle it, I mean what vinegar nosed hurter came up with that embarrassingly self important charge, they obviously just tippexed over "failing to act in the best interests of Rangers."

Broony is the greatest embassador Scotland could hope to have in a Captain for his country and greatest ever team Celtic who he'll be acting in the best interests of today.

Intae them Broony, bring the title home!

 

Looks in dire need of a break. We need guys ready to step in for a few players, mainly Brown & Tierney, next season.

 

Good post .

 

Davie Provan article today should see that soup taking * banned from Celtic park for life! Disgraceful!

 

Whilst I agree about Provan, I hate the Soup Taker analogy(just saying like)

 

Who cares what he thinks.

 

I don’t care what he think I am just saying it’s a disgraceful article!