WHEN Celtic all but clinched their fifth league title at Tynecastle last April, Scott Brown’s immediate thoughts turned not to his manager, team-mates or supporters but to a former Parkhead player turned television analyst. “He’s just a poor man’s Gary Neville,” was the scathing assessment offered up by the Celtic captain.

The pundit in question was Andy Walker. Walker, one of the more thoughtful and cerebral of the many Scottish ex-players in the media, had been fairly scathing of Celtic under Ronny Deila and of Brown’s performances during that period. The comments were quickly picked up inside the Celtic dressing room.

Never let it be said, however, that Walker is not willing to be the bigger person. With Brown looking like a player completely revitalised under the watchful eye of new manager Brendan Rodgers, Walker, a regular on Sky Sports, is happy to put any personal differences to one side to praise the 31 year-old for his drive and commitment in the Celtic midfield.

“I don’t think he has ever played better,” said Walker of his apparent nemesis. “This is the best spell of his career. It’s controlled, it’s measured, and I am really impressed. He’s obviously enthused by working under a new manager.

“You get to that age he’s at and you realise you’ve only got a few years left. You can see him passing on remarks to younger players, you can see him organising things.

“He’s a much more mature player now and it’s not the reckless Scott Brown getting involved in challenges, you don’t see him doing that. He makes short passes, couple of long ones. He’s trying to get forward a bit more. I still think he could maybe add an extra goal or two. But in all his time at Celtic, I don’t think he’s in better form.”

It is difficult to imagine Rodgers tolerating Brown slumped in the street at the end of a night – seemingly engaged in a staring contest with a kebab - just four days before a cup final as happened in the Deila days. Walker believes Brown’s return to prominence might not have happened if Rodgers had not appeared on the scene.

“I think [his transformation] is totally down to the manager,” the one-time striker said. “Players will always tell you that they are behind the manager. I’m not sure that was the case when Ronny was there. I don’t think the dressing room was as happy as it is now.

“They were still winning the title but they are playing better football now, they’ve got better players and Scott has taken his game up a notch. I think Scott Brown needed Brendan Rodgers. If he did that now [lying in the street after a night out] then he wouldn’t play. And that would also give him a shock.

“Whereas Ronny just put him straight back in the team which told you everything. It wasn’t quite right in the dressing room. There was no strong leadership there. That was poor management.”

Walker can’t imagine Brown testing Rodgers’ tolerance with a similar stunt. “Scott wouldn’t do that, I don’t think he’d even think of doing that now,” he said. “That would be remarkable. And if he did, then he would be punished for it. The last thing you want to do is miss out. It’s a great time to be a Celtic player, not just because you are so dominant. The football is good to watch so it must be great to play in.

“They’ve got the great challenge of trying to make a challenge in the Champions League, where I thought they acquitted themselves well. That’s really where they want to improve. I am sure Scott will want a better name, a better reputation in Europe, playing more European games in the tournament.”

Brown has given Celtic a decade’s worth of service now since switching from Hibernian in 2007, turning down opportunities over the years to advance his career in England. Walker believes such loyalty means the midfielder deserves to be considered worthy of a place in the pantheon of all-time greats.

“Scott has chosen to stay in Glasgow, to stay with Celtic. He will be getting a testimonial. The guys that I played with – Pat Bonner, Tam Burns, big Roy Aitken, [Peter] Granty of course, and Paul McStay - Scott has taken on that type of mantle. It’s not easy to play in excess of 400 games for Celtic and get the amount of trophies he’s got. You deserve all the accolades coming.

“I know his focus is just on titles and trophies. That’s what he is all about. And as soon as one is out of the way he’s got his eye on the next one.”

And what about their very public and prolonged falling out? “There was no real spat between me and Scott. It was fine. I struck a nerve with Scott, that was all it was. I called him out for his fitness and he wasn’t fit. He couldn’t get round that pitch against Rangers.

“That was one of the reasons that Celtic lost. I think now that he’s fit he just looks a totally different player. I get a sense, whenever I’m hanging around the tunnel before games and you see them warming up, he’s not wanting to let Brendan down.

“He’s got that sort of aura that you go out and entertain, that great thing that Celtic are all about. They’ve certainly done it this season and Scott deserves all the praise coming his way. I spoke to him just very recently and said that I couldn’t believe how much praise I am giving him in commentary. He said it was long overdue. So he’s probably right!”

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