Davie Provan: Celtic skipper Scott Brown is a poor man’s Murdo MacLeod

[ian1964 10,720]

WITH his skinhead and Roy Keane “stare”, Scott Brown looks a proper hardman for the television cameras in the tunnel pre-match.

 

You can imagine kids running behind the sofa at the sight of the midfielder ready to rumble.

 

Not the type you’d want to meet in a dark alley after closing time, that’s for sure.

 

What a disappointment then to discover Broony is really a sensitive wee soul.

 

Brown needed a wheelbarrow for his bottom lip earlier this week when rounding on former Hoops striker Andy Walker.

 

According to the midfielder, TV analyst Walker is “a poor man’s Gary Neville.” I’ll bet Andy hasn’t slept since!

 

Seems Walker’s criticism of Celtic this season has struck a nerve with the club captain who believes the telly pundit should be doing more to “stick up for the club and manager a bit more”.

 

Maybe he wants Andy in a club blazer and cheerleader outfit when he’s doing his stuff for Sky.

 

I know Andy has an affection for the club but it’s difficult to see how he could talk up this Celtic side without losing credibility. Either way, Brown and Co haven’t done their talking where it counts — on the pitch.

 

Scott has captained a side that lost to Malmo in the Champions League qualifiers, then finished bottom of their Europa League group without a win.

 

Any prospect of a league and cup Double disappeared with defeats to Ross County and a second-tier Rangers.

 

What does Brown expect? A ticker-tape parade down London Road?

 

Walker isn’t there to be a Hoops lickspittle, he’s paid to call it down the middle. If that upsets Brown he’s at the wrong club.

 

At Celtic, stick goes with the territory if you’re not performing and this Ronny Deila team has failed supporters miserably.

 

Childishly, Brown added that Walker “didn’t win that much when he was here”.

 

He might be right, but Andy’s goals helped Celtic to an unforgettable Double at a time Rangers had the money to bury their rivals.

 

That Billy McNeill’s Bhoys did it in the club’s centenary year will see that 1988 vintage revered long after the current team is forgotten.

 

As for demanding less criticism of Deila? If the midfielder had turned up for the Old Firm semi-final, Deila might not have had to resign.

 

That was the final straw for supporters. A day when the manager needed his captain to justify his reputation.

 

Before the game we had Broony giving Andy Halliday the Keano eyes in an attempt to intimidate the Gers man. Fine, but when the game started Brown was the one reported missing.

 

That was no surprise to me. When was the last time Broony turned in a big occasion performance for Celtic or Scotland?

 

Yeah, Gordon Strachan is a big fan, but where was Scott when the crunch Euro ties had to be won? When did he last influence a Champions League game for Celtic?

 

He’s better known on the continent for that stupid red card swipe at Neymar that cost Celts any chance of beating Barcelona three years ago.

 

You’ll have gathered I’ve never bought into the Brown hype. As a kid at Hibs he looked a good prospect. He got about the pitch well, liked a tackle and hated losing. His distribution wasn’t great but time was on his side.

 

Nearly a decade on that potential remains unfulfilled. Put it this way, I would have had ructions with him if he’d been in our midfield.

 

He runs with the ball when he should be popping it off early. You’ll rarely see him find a forward pass that hurts the opposition and he’s never been a regular scorer even when playing further forward.

 

Even at 30, you’d never bet against him picking up a needless red card.

 

With persistent injuries kicking in I’d be surprised if the club captain has a significant contribution to make for Deila’s successor.

 

Whoever comes in should be looking for a new dressing room leader with Brown’s best years now behind him.

 

When it comes time for Broony to pack in, he’ll have done well for himself.

 

He reached 50 caps for Scotland, was Player of the Year and hoovered up domestic silverware. His admirers will regard him as a good Celtic servant.

 

Me? I’ll remember him as a poor man’s Murdo MacLeod.

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/columnists/davieprovan/7134040/Davie-Provan-Celtic-skipper-Scott-Brown-is-a-poor-mans-Murdo-MacLeod.html

[RANGERRAB 3,613]

Scoty Broon - the cardboard hardman of Scottish football.

[ian1964 10,720]

Scoty Broon - the cardboard hardman of Scottish football.

 

To think this eejit is the Scotland captain!,just shows how bad Scottish football is really!

[craig 5,199]

You’ll have gathered I’ve never bought into the Brown hype. As a kid at Hibs he looked a good prospect. He got about the pitch well, liked a tackle and hated losing. His distribution wasn’t great but time was on his side.

 

I said in another thread that my kid wants to come home to Scotland to take his football seriously.... and how I would be disappointed if he was a worse player than Scott Brown.....

 

I mean it. And Davie Provan is absolutely SPOT ON with the above. Brown never had ANY talent and has made himself very wealthy simply because Rangers and Celtic were competing for his signature. I don't think he is even god enough to be a poor mans Murdo McLeod. Murdo was a better player.

 

The only reason he tried to intimidate Halliday was because he knew that Halliday was a better player.

 

Scotland cant have had many worse captains than his guy !

[Bearman 9]

Celtic have struggled to match their one and only real great captain, he was there playing for their one and only great team!

 

Poor Brooney

[Bearman 9]

As for Davie Provan...he was a bit of a nancy too wearing the hoops, I hated his style going to ground with the slightest touch...I love this clip where he tries to stop his counterpart (with far more skill in his wee toe than he could ever wish for) from taking a throw-in only to make him even more inventive with the ball.

 

Watch Bud lick his thumb and point to bamboozle Provan in the 89th minute at the piggery.

 

[craig 5,199]

As for Davie Provan...he was a bit of a nancy too wearing the hoops, I hated his style going to ground with the slightest touch...I love this clip where he tries to stop his counterpart (with far more skill in his wee toe than he could ever wish for) from taking a throw-in only to make him even more inventive with the ball.

 

Watch Bud lick his thumb and point to bamboozle Provan in the 89th minute at the piggery.

 

 

Oooffttttt