Celtic have the chance to do something unique this season by going through the domestic campaign unbeaten, but Johan Mjallby believes that the current crop of Parkhead players are not yet at the same level as Martin O’Neill’s Treble winners.
Brendan Rodgers’ side could celebrate the first clean sweep since the Irishman led Celtic to it in his inaugural season at the club in 2001, with Mjallby an integral part of that. Rodgers has already secured the League Cup and the club’s sixth successive title to take him within touching distance of emulating what O’Neill achieved in his first season in Glasgow.
O’Neill also led Celtic into the group stages of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history and then took the club in 2003 to the UEFA Cup final in Seville. O’Neill’s team also set the record for the most points secured in the top flight – 103 – while the defence that Mjallby was a part of hold the record for the most miserly defence in the league after a season in which they conceded just 18 goals. And Mjallby has insisted that the experience side assembled by O’Neill would stand above the current group – for now.
Read more: Peter Lovenkrands: Ending Celtic's unbeaten season should not be Rangers' focus
Asked if O’Neill’s team would beat Rodgers’ team, the Swede said: “I would say, probably, yes. I say that because of the experience. We were a team of grown up boys, in fact, we were men.
“This team now is fantastic but I still think you need to give it another year before you can compare it with Martin’s team. But if they keep doing what they’re doing now they’re going to be No2 after the Lisbon Lions.
“I can’t compare the two teams. We have to maybe give them another season before you can say that they are a better group of players than we were. This is no disrespect to today’s team. I would say that the opposition was probably harder for us. You had a very, very strong Rangers at the time. And you had Hearts, Dundee and Dundee United who were probably stronger than the rest of the teams are right now. But nevertheless, it would be an amazing feat [going unbeaten].”
Meanwhile, the holiday weekend has given Scott Brown a lucky break with the Parkhead side using the system to free their captain from a suspension. A formal appeal will be lodged today with the SFA to appeal the red-card given to Brown for his tackle on Liam Boyce in the final minutes of a controversial draw in Dingwall on Sunday afternoon.
The hearing will not take place until April 27th meaning that regardless of whether the appeal is uphold that Brown will be in a position to lead Celtic into their William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden on Sunday lunchtime.
Read more: Peter Lovenkrands: Ending Celtic's unbeaten season should not be Rangers' focus
Having played against Brown when Mjallby was in the latter stages of his own career and Brown was beginning his before then coaching him for four years at Celtic alongside Neil Lennon, Mjallby is well aware just how pivotal to the club’s midfield that the Scotland internationalist is.
And the 46-year-old, who is currently managing in Vastaras in the Swedish third tier, believes that there are too many who disregard the technical ability of Brown as they focus only on the superficial aggression that the player takes into games.
“He is better technically than many give him credit for,” said Mjallby. “In the four years I worked with him, I was quite impressed with him whenever we did technical skills. He has that reputation as a running, aggressive midfielder but there is so much more to him.
“I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves for the technical side of his game. I played against him when he was a young kid at Hibs, only 17 or 18, and even then you could see he would become a really good player. But maybe not this great.
“He has had a fantastic career for Celtic. Over the years, he has got more and more positive reviews and more credit. When I was assistant manager at Celtic, he was always being recognised for his great energy, desire and running. He was known as hot-headed, someone who will always give you everything. But after working with him, I found out there is much more to him.”
Read more: Peter Lovenkrands: Ending Celtic's unbeaten season should not be Rangers' focus
Brown, by and large, has curtailed the impetuous side to his game of late but Mjallby believes that taking it away from him entirely would compromise the qualities which he brings.
“I like that side of him,” he said. “You need to bring a wee bit of aggression into your game as well and he is about aggression. I have credited with him being a very good footballer as well but I don’t think that you are ever going to see Scott Brown not going into a game showing no passion or desire or aggression. That isn’t Scott. Those things are important to him. Maybe he over-reacted a bit because he was disappointed at conceding a goal from a penalty that shouldn’t have been given. It happens and he should have dealt with it in a calmer way.
*Johan Mjallby was speaking at a William Hill media event. William Hill is the proud sponsor of the Scottish Cup.
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