Tony Mowbray sees trouble ahead after Brown appointment

TONY Mowbray has enough difficulties at the moment without choosing to store up further trouble for himself. That, however, is a risk the Celtic manager freely admits he is taking by appointing Scott Brown as the new club captain.

Brown made his return from injury as a substitute in Tuesday night's SPL defeat at Kilmarnock, marking his entrance to the game by seizing the captain's armband from Glenn Loovens.

The Scotland midfielder had been informed by Mowbray before the match that the honour would be bestowed upon him and becomes the fifth player to skipper Celtic since the turn of the year. Brown may not be widely regarded as an obvious candidate, given his tinderbox temperament, and Mowbray concedes he can see trouble ahead for the 24-year-old in the role.

But Mowbray, who would face a managerial crisis of John Barnes proportions if Celtic are knocked out of the Active Nation Scottish Cup against Dunfermline at East End Park tomorrow, is hopeful the captaincy will be the making of Brown.

"I have worked with Scott over a number of years now," said the former Hibs manager, "and different coaches pick different captains for different reasons. I see Scott as an inspirational figure on the field for his team with his natural desire to be a winner.

"Yet I can see the potential problems for Scott as a captain as well. Self-inflicted problems, really. He is the type of young guy who seems to attract attention with his robust style of play at times. He needs to harness his desire to win the ball back for the team and drive them on. Never lose it, of course, but harness it.

"Essentially, I do not see it as an issue. I am comfortable with it. Anybody can have their opinion. It doesn't matter what they say, what they think or what they philosophise about. It's my choice.

"Is Scott going to get judged? If we win, he'll be great, if we lose, he'll be rubbish. Is that the scenario? It would be great if the captaincy helps him, that would be my attitude. Do you keep labelling the boy? Wouldn't it be great if it helped Scott's game, if the responsibility on the pitch made him a much better footballer, a more disciplined footballer, because he has every attribute to be a top, top player. He is at an age now where he needs to mature as a football player and hopefully this will help him along the way.

"The team needs a captain. Somebody has to toss the coin. In my opinion, with this team of players and this dressing room, Scott Brown can lead this group."

If Mowbray's reference to tossing the coin suggests he does not regard the role of captain of carrying any greater significance, he was at pains to stress that is not the case. During his playing career, he was appointed Middlesbrough captain at the age of 22 and later skippered Ipswich Town.

"I was a captain most of my life and when I played, you took those responsibilities on board," he added. "I have spoken to Scott and he is fully aware of the responsibilities of wearing the armband at this club."

Brown, who was sidelined for four months because of an ankle injury, continued his rehabilitation by playing an hour of a friendly at Drogheda United in the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday night. Mowbray, however, was not prepared to commit himself to handing his new captain a return to the starting line-up tomorrow.

"We will wait and see how he feels before we decide," said Mowbray. "He won't necessarily play on Sunday. If he doesn't, then we will have another captain you can write about next week."

While a storm may be brewing around Mowbray, with his team ten points off the pace in the SPL, he retains an almost evangelical self-assurance, insisting he feels no pressure and is convinced his strategy at Celtic will eventually fall successfully into place.

"Pressure comes with the job, I am comfortable with it," he said. "I know the road we are going down. If you do the right things every day, work hard and get the right quality of footballers, then you will ultimately have a team that wins. If you put the right building blocks in place, you will have a team that will win for a long time.

"I get up every morning, come into work and get on with the job. I try to preach the right habits and practice the right things. Ultimately, the results will look after themselves."

Dutch left-back Edson Braafheid, on loan from Bayern Munich until the end of the season, is poised to make his debut tomorrow in a tie Mowbray expects to stretch his team.

"Will it be any easier than going to Morton, Kilmarnock or Hamilton? I don't think so. It is a tough game away from home. I understand Dunfermline are in the First Division and will look to cause an upset. But you live with that every week."