SCOTLAND today received a timely boost ahead of next month’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Slovenia when former captain Scott Brown confirmed to the media that he would make himself available for selection for a match that Gordon Strachan simply must win.
“I have made myself available,” Brown revealed. “Gordon and I have spoken and we will take it from there if he chooses me or not. In the last couple of weeks I have managed to maintain a good standard of playing and training week-in, week-out. I didn’t want my body or my form to dip due to going away with Scotland and not having a few days off.
“I enjoyed the last game even though we lost 3-0 – being with the lads and Gordon again, the training and going away. I am proud to play for my country and I enjoy it.
“I felt we did quite well against England. In the last 20 minutes it was always going to be hard but we created chances and we could have easily scored goals but it wasn’t to be our day.”
But for Brown the overriding factor in continuing to play for Scotland will be how it impacts on his form at Celtic.
“This is huge for me,” the Celtic skipper stated. ”If I can continue my form until the end of the season then it won’t have been a bad shout but, if not, then we know what will need to happen.
“Obviously the priority for Brendan Rodgers and myself is for Celtic. I want to be playing here week-in, week-out here, and if I find out that this game is too much for me then it will be back to retirement for me.
“We are just going to take it one game at a time and see how it goes. I enjoyed meeting up with the lads the last time and hopefully we can get a good result this time.”
Brown will once again lead Celtic tomorrow as the side aim to continue the run of form that has seen them slip up only on one occasion domestically. That 2-2 draw at Inverness in September is probably even more frustrating now rather than at the time as it has stopped the 100% successful domestic season being possible.
Brown always gives 100% himself so we’ll gladly call in 99% wins and put the 1% down to the point Inverness stole in the last minute.
