Former England coach hails Aberdeen captain Scott Brown as 'best professional' he has seen

Even as he approaches his 37th birthday, Scott Brown continues to gain new admirers.

Aberdeen captain Scott Brown was instrumental in his team's impressive display as they drew 1-1 with Rangers at Pittodrie on Tuesday night. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Any doubts about how warmly the former Celtic captain would be received by the Aberdeen fans following his move last summer have long since been dispelled, as evidenced by the adulation towards him from those wearing red in the Pittodrie stands on Tuesday night.

Brown’s hugely influential contribution to the Dons’ 1-1 draw with Rangers, to whom he remains an irrepressible nemesis, was also observed with a degree of awe from the home side’s technical area.

Allan Russell, the Aberdeen assistant manager, spent four years working with some of the English Premier League’s highest profile players during his time as a key member of England head coach Gareth Southgate’s backroom staff.

Aberdeen assistant manager Allan Russell was a member of England manager Gareth Southgate's coaching staff from 2017 until 2021. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

But it seems that Brown’s contribution both on and off the pitch this season has made Russell reappraise his criteria of what constitutes the ultimate pro.

“I was talking to Allan about Scott the other day,” said Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass as he reflected on Brown’s display against the Scottish champions.

“Allan, who has obviously worked with the England team, said Scott is probably the best professional he has seen, which is incredible at the age of 36. I keep telling Scott he is younger than that to try and keep him playing longer!

“To be honest, I don’t want to isolate it just to the Rangers game. He relishes those games but he relishes every week and that is why he is the professional he is.

“Scott’s attitude every week is first class. How he drives the group of players is brilliant. He is an unbelievable professional.”

Having returned from the winter break in such positive fashion with the draw against Rangers, the focus for Glass now is to try and ensure his players can find the same levels of intensity against other opponents.

That will be put to the test at Pittodrie on Saturday afternoon when Aberdeen face League 2 side Edinburgh City in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup, a competition Glass believes his team should be aiming to win this season.

“I said to the players in the dressing room after the Rangers game that it shouldn’t be a different level of focus against Edinburgh City,” he said.

“Their performance level on Tuesday, they need to create that again in their head every single week from now until the end of the season.

“You win five games and you win the Scottish Cup. We have just played against Rangers who are a very good team and they couldn’t beat us at Pittodrie and I think we looked like the better and more dominant team. If we can continue that, then who knows?

“The boys looked after themselves over the winter break, which is important. They are a group of professionals who work hard and they got their reward on Tuesday but they are still hugely frustrated that they didn’t win, which says a lot about them. It is important we keep building because that is the most important thing from here.”

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