GREAT football teams have big personalities.

With the benefit of 11 years' distance it is possible to look at the finest Celtic team in a generation, the one which reached the 2003 UEFA Cup final, and remember just how many strong characters lined up in Seville that night. Henrik Larsson could have captained the side, or Neil Lennon, Chris Sutton, Stiliyan Petrov, Johan Mjallby, Bobo Balde, Joos Valgaeren or Alan Thompson. On the bench, Jackie McNamara was another candidate. None of them led the team, though. Paul Lambert had that honour.

Celtic begin a campaign in the UEFA Cup's successor, the Europa League, tomorrow night. The current side is no match for the 2003 vintage in terms of quality and there is no shame in that, But when Sutton yesterday looked ahead to the opening game against Red Bull Salzburg in Austria it was the current lack of obvious leaders he lamented. He identified only one - Scott Brown - and it niggled him that others had not done more to take some responsibility from the captain's shoulders.

"I hope that more leaders come from this group," said Sutton, speaking to promote BT Sport's exclusive live television coverage of the Salzburg game. "They are a young team. Virgil van Dijk is a good player and I'm pleased his situation has been sorted out [the Dutchman was linked with a move before the transfer window closed].

"But if he wants to progress as a player there's no reason why he can't take on more of a leadership mantle, rather than everyone just looking to Scott Brown.

"And why can't players like Biram Kayal look at influential players like Scott Brown and ask himself why he can't be a Scott Brown? It's too easy to take the other option and not have that drive. If you are a young player trying to become something in the game you should be looking at the raw materials Brown has.

"Scott Brown isn't a Glenn Hoddle but just look at the influence he has on the team. He's a good footballer. He could go and play at the top of the Barclays Premier League easily. He's a good athlete and he gets people playing around him."

Sutton offered views on Van Dijk, Kayal and young, on-loan defender Jason Denayer yesterday which were the essence of constructive criticism. It was quite clear that he admired them but also thought them capable of more. The Europa League would be a valuable proving ground for the two young defenders in particular, he said. "Would Van Dijk have got into the Celtic team I played in? You'd have to ask Martin O'Neill but I do think he's a top player.

"What worried me about him last season was that at times he likes to get forward and vacate his position. If it is all planned, that's all very well. On Saturday, you could say he switched off for the Aberdeen goal.

"I'm slightly old fashioned and like defenders to defend. I think he can defend but I don't think he has been tested enough. This is a big challenge for him and Denayer in the Europa League.

"Denayer has come here because he can't get in the team at Manchester City. There's no shame in that. But in the Dundee game [1-1 draw at Dens Park], from the kick-off he doesn't head it clear. That's his bread and butter.

"He's a good footballer and a good athlete but that's why he didn't get into the Man City team and that's why he's here - to develop. But you have to learn quickly in football. It's brutal and if you are a young player at a big club like Celtic you get judged. He has raw attributes but you have to switch on quickly."

Sutton was Larsson's wing-man, an intelligent, physically and mentally strong presence in their attack, excellent in the air and on the ground. He was fully qualified to cast an expert eye over their current striking options yesterday, and he approved. "What I would say is that Ronny Deila has tried to address the situation by bringing in players with pace up top, and a bit of size.

"Hopefully they will have the ability to score more goals. They have to be able to defend well and have a threat on the counter attack. He's tried to address the problems I felt Celtic had up top.

"Kris Commons, Anthony Stokes and Leigh Griffiths are clever players but while I wouldn't say they became too predictable, they didn't have size or pace.

"Now with Aleksandar Tonev and Wakaso Mubarak they have the opportunity to counter attack away from home. Hopefully Stefan Scepovic will give them an aerial threat too. With Celtic, if you starved the clever players of space in and around the penalty area, like Commons and Stokes, then how were they going to score from crosses? That has been something Celtic have hopefully addressed now.

"It's all very well having philosophies but you have to find a way of winning. If trying to play through teams isn't working then you need to have the tools to go longer and be more direct.

"There's nothing wrong with that, nothing wrong with scoring goals from crosses. I'm excited about it because I couldn't tell you what team Ronny Deila is going to play in terms of forward players."

Celtic and Salzburg are in Group D with Dinamo Zagreb and Astra Giurgiu. "On paper it looks like a group from which Celtic can go through to the next stage.

"But it's not going to be easy against any of the sides they play. I couldn't honestly tell you at the moment if Celtic will finish top or bottom of the group."

BT Sport has live coverage of Europa League games in the group stage and beyond, including Salzburg v Celtic tomorrow on BT Sport 1. Details on www.btsport.com