Brown is model captain, says Celtic No.2 Collins

Just days before he was due to lead the Glasgow club out at Hampden in the League Cup final against Dundee United, the Scotland skipper was pictured worse for wear on a night out in Edinburgh. It drew criticism from certain quarters, especially given the '24-hour footballer' mantra adopted by Celtic manager Ronny Deila.

But in the wake of a commanding performance at the heart of his team's midfield in Sunday's 2-1 triumph, John Collins, Deila's No.2, was not interested in being drawn into the debate about Brown's conduct off the park. Instead, he chose to accentuate all of his qualities on it, claiming that there is nobody more fit to be leading Celtic than the 29-year-old.

"The only thing I'm going to say is that Scott's performance on Sunday was magnificent," he said. "It was a typical Scott Brown performance - winning every 50-50, driving his team-mates on and lifting the crowd.

"We couldn't have asked for a better captain. He is everything you want on the football pitch. He hates getting beaten, goes from the first minute to the last, never shirks a tackle, his passing is good. He shouts at his team-mates, growls at them when it's needed - that's what you are looking for in a captain."

Of course, Collins has been aware of Brown's talents before and stood side by side him as the young midfielder won his first ever trophy back in 2007 by defeating Kilmarnock 5-1 in the League Cup. Then a raw 21-year-old, he was a dynamic force within a promising young Easter Road side that contained the likes of the much-fancied Steven Whittaker, Steven Fletcher and Ivan Sproule to name a few.

In the end it was Brown who would command the biggest transfer fee of them all just two months after that League Cup final win, bringing in £4.4million from Celtic, a record amount for the club that still stands to this day.

"At the time Hibs sold him it was a huge amount of money, it built a training complex for them, but I knew it was value for money for Celtic," said Collins. "I remember speaking to Gordon [Strachan] about it at the time when he asked me about Scott and I told him don't hesitate. But I think his mind was already made up anyway because he was the right type for Celtic.

"I only had him for a short period of time before we sold him to Celtic for £4.4 million - a lot of money at the time then but now it looks like a bargain."

While Sunday's victory was the pair's second trophy celebration together, Collins is keen to add even more.

Tomorrow's William Hill Scottish Cup replay against United - the third meeting of the teams in little over a week with another still to come on Saturday - will present the opportunity to bring another that little bit closer. Of course, Celtic's success this season will not be based on what happened on Sunday, but what can be built upon it.

And Collins is enthusiastic about the days, weeks and months ahead.

"I think it's always good to get the first one in the cabinet. It's important," said the Celtic assistant coach. "Ultimately we are judged on results and trophies but I'll always throw in performance and development, two key words for myself and Ronny.

"There is development and progress, that's what we are after as well as winning and winning trophies."

He added: "Only time will tell and in football what you do need is patience. Sometimes a lot of people don't have that, they think you have a magic wand or you can push a bottom and things will just happen.

"In reality in any business that doesn't happen, and football is no different. It's small changes every week. We see it on the training pitch with the boys, and slowly but surely the performances have got better and better.