Celtic captain Scott Brown will play his final game for the club this Saturday against the side the Hoops signed him from 14-years ago, Hibs at Easter Road.
Not many would have imagined the legendary captain would go on to have the successful and long career he had whilst at Celtic.
At times, Brown was written off by many during his time at Celtic. Some suggested that his ‘legs may have gone’ for example, back in Ronny Deila’s final season at the club.
However, like he has done many times Brown bounced back from this and went on to produce some of his best performances in a Celtic shirt a few years after.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Brown revealed the reason his career was able to be prolonged at the club was due to him cutting his international career short when he did, even though he would have loved to have been heading to the Euros with the squad this summer.
“I would have loved to have still been there but I’d have been 36 by the time the Euros comes.
“The lads have done fantastic to get there, they’ve worked extremely hard and I don’t think I would still be at Celtic if I was still playing for Scotland as well.
“I think that would have taken a big impact on my career and my body, and I think I stepped away at the right time.
“I spoke to Gordon (Strachan) and I spoke to Brendan (Rodgers) a lot on this and how it was about being selfish now, at the end of my career and looking after myself so I could play as many games as I possibly can for Celtic.
“Looking at it now, course I would love to be going to the Euros, of course, I’d love to be part of it because I played 10 or 11 years for Scotland and I didn’t get to the Euros or a World Cup.
“That’s a little bit sad and it’s not been ticked off on the CV but to be perfectly honest, I have had so many great years here (at Celtic) and I probably still wouldn’t be here, still playing now at 35 coming up to 36 if I was still to be playing with Scotland.”
The goal of any player will be to represent their country at an international tournament like the Euros this summer.
However, not many players will have anywhere near the same career as Scott Brown. Lifting trophy after trophy, he goes down as one of the clubs most successful ever players and us as fans will forever be grateful for that.
