SCOTT Brown, the Celtic captain, last night revealed he is unconcerned by the imminent return of Rangers to the Ladbrokes Premiership and is determined to help the Parkhead club win a record 10 consecutive Scottish titles.
Brown and his team mates were subjected to protests from supporters who have grown increasingly unhappy with their performances this season before the league match with Ross County at Celtic Park on Sunday.
Ronny Deila announced last week that he will stand down at the end of the 2015/16 campaign following his side’s penalty shoot-out defeat to their Old Firm rivals in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final.
But Brown, speaking at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin where he was promoting the International Champions Cup match between Celtic and Barcelona on July 30, hasn’t been fazed by either the loss to Rangers or Deila’s decision to quit.
The 30-year-old wants to ensure Celtic win a fifth straight Premiership title in the coming weeks – and then eclipse the achievements of the Celtic and Rangers teams which completed nine-in-a-row.
“We are going to win the league,” he said. “That is huge for this club. We are going for five-in-a-row. Then we are going to go for six, then we are going to go seven and we are going to continue that.
“The supporters want 10 and we want 10. I don’t know if my body will give another five, but I will give it a shot. We all want it. The players all want the same thing as the supporters. We need to get as many in a row as possible. If it’s 10 and onwards it would be exceptional for this club.”
However, Brown, whose personal displays since returning from a two month injury lay-off back in January have been criticised, did admit that he needed to take an extended break from football - and was unlikely to get one.
The Scotland skipper stressed there was no prospect of him making himself unavailable for the national team’s friendly matches against Italy in Malta at the end of May and France in Metz at the start of June.
Read more: Don't blame Peter Lawwell for Celtic's failings, says Ronnie Deila
Asked about his own form, he said: “It has probably not been the best. It could be a lot better. But I enjoy playing with Scotland. I enjoy going away. It means a lot to me as well. Gordon (Strachan) being there is great for me. These are two big games so it will be great to go along.
“We finish up with Scotland on June 5 and we will be back in at Celtic on about June 20. So I will get a solid 15 days off. I am really looking forward to them!
“I don’t want left out! F*** that! I might not get back in! No, as I say, I enjoy going along. Gordon is a great coach. He has been great for me at Celtic and at Scotland.
“But a rest is definitely needed as well. I have been here nine years and the longest holiday I have had is three weeks. Eventually it is going to take a toll on your body. You get aches and pains and you struggle to shake them off during the season.
“But I still run the same distance that I do every game. I feel okay. I don’t think I have been performing as well as I could, but don’t think fitness is a problem. I am still covering the same distance as I have been doing since I was 21. It is just form. Form goes up and down and mine isn’t as good as it should be just now.”
Meanwhile, Brown has denied that Peter Lawwell, the Celtic chief executive, coming into the Celtic changing room following the 1-1 draw with Ross County on Sunday was unusual and has backed the Parkhead board to identify the best man to replace Deila.
“It is his building!” he said. “He can do whatever he wants! He runs the ship! Seriously, though, Peter comes in all the time.
“He has done a great job since coming in. Hopefully in the next couple of games we will win five-in-a-row. Not a lot of Celtic teams have done that since Jock Stein so it just shows you. It has been good in that way. But we know we need to get better.
“It’s not for me make a judgement on who the board should talk to or look at. I will just leave it to them to do. I am sure they will sort the right man out and give him the right budget and it’ll be done and dusted by pre-season.”
Deila’s predecessor Neil Lennon admitted last week that he would welcome the chance to speak to the Celtic board about the position and Brown admitted he had impressed him during his previous spell in charge.
“He (Lennon) knows the club,” he said. “He has been here for a long time both as a player and as a manager. He was exceptional here the last time and he was great for me as well. But for me talk about who the board should look at is not right.”
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