Scott Brown: Celtic would welcome captain back 'with open arms' says ex-Parkhead defender

Scott Brown would be welcome back at Celtic Park – if that was to be his next destination, Alan Stubbs believes.

The former Parkhead captain has called time on his career as a player-coach at Aberdeen and will take the net steps on the management ladder when a suitable opportunity arises, the Dons revealed on Tuesday.

Brown was linked with the job at St Mirren last month and had made his first move into coaching under former team-mate Stephen Glass at Pittodrie, but hs been out of the Reds’ picture since new boss Jim Goodwin arrived in the north-east and was widely reported to be considering his retirement this week.

Speaking before the news was confirmed, ex-Hibs and St Mirren boss Stubbs believed a quick-fire return to Parkhead would be mutually beneficial – but he wouldn’t be short on offers.

"He's adored as a Celtic player and he'd be welcome with open arms if he wanted to go back in a coaching role, whatever capacity that would be," Stubbs said of a Parkhead return. "I think there's going to be a lot of options for him, whatever Scott decides to do and I think initially he may just take a bit of time to look back on what he's done, what he's achieved.

"We know he wants to go into coaching and management, but I think it's important to be clear when you go into that, because it does take a huge commitment but he's been a fantastic player.”

Speaking on the Daily Record’s Celtic podcast, Stubbs praised the 55-capped international. "Whether through his own ability, getting in someone's head, getting in someone's face, there's so many different facets to getting one over on your opposite number and Scott was a master at that.

"There's an art to it. He's certainly backed up his confidence on the pitch. He had personality, he was exuberant, he was intimidating, and it's not very often you get all that in a mix in a modern-day footballer. He rubbed people up the wrong way but, again, that's you winning. And opposition players will call him annoying and whatever but more fool them for letting him annoy them.

Scott Brown is exploring new opportunities after confirming his Aberdeen departure. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

"I’ve nothing but admiration for him. He's a great guy off the pitch, I've been in his company on numerous occasions."

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