Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan believes there was only really going to be one decision when it came to the exit of Scott Brown in joining Aberdeen with the Hoops captain looking to take his game into the coaching side of things.
Writing for his column in The Herald, Strachan thinks that it would be ‘impossible’ to keep Brown around for the new era in the club’s history with the up-and-coming rebuild as he looks to begin his coaching career as assistant manager at Aberdeen.
“The wages he’ll be on at Aberdeen won’t be the same as what he was getting at Celtic, that’s for sure.
“But the big similarity between our situations is that he will enjoy being an influence again, as I did at Coventry. I actually started playing again, but that was because my influence was there again. I think that is what Scott wants. That real challenge and that influence again. And that’s only right.
“Everybody knows that Celtic have to start afresh with a new era. It would be totally unfair for anyone to ask Scott Brown to lead that again. I think it would be impossible for him to lead that again having committed so much of his football life into making Celtic that force they have been over the nine years.
“So, for Scott, it would have nothing to do with a contract. It would be about being an influence, enjoying himself, and seeing a project that he can help again.”
Strachan was the man to sign Brown for Celtic all the way back in 2007, so it is of course, highly likely he will know the Hoops captain very well.
When it comes to the money aspect of things, it is pretty clear that Brown hasn’t done this in favour of a bit more money. If it was about that he would have stayed at Celtic for another year.
The offer of becoming assistant manager at Aberdeen, as well as continuing your playing career, is almost too good to turn down for where Brown is in his career right now coming toward the latter years.
So, as much as it would have been good to keep the 35-year old around for the beginning of the rebuild next season, you can certainly see the reasons he decided to depart.
