Few players divide opinion quite like Scott Brown. In fact, you could say many people actively dislike him, not that Rodgers shares that viewpoint.
Brendan Rodgers says Celtic enforcer Scott Brown would have strolled into his Liverpool side that came so close to winning the Premier League in 2013-14, the Daily Record report.
The Northern Irishman has enjoyed a mixed start to life north of the border after being sacked by Liverpool in October last year.
Rodgers has already guided Celtic to two memorable victories over Old Firm rivals Rangers to cap an almost unblemished domestic record but this has been undermined somewhat by a failure to progress on the European front, headlined by the club’s biggest ever European defeat against Barcelona and an abject home loss to Borussia Monchengladbach.
However, the former Swansea boss has been so impressed by the performances of his midfield general Brown that he is adamant the experienced ankle-biter (below) would have had no trouble in cementing a place in his Luis Suarez-inspired Liverpool side that thrilled English football with its dynamic attacking football.
“The biggest compliment I can give him is – having worked in what is supposedly the best league in the world in terms of being the most competitive – if I look at my Liverpool team that nearly won the title, Scott Brown would definitely have been in it,” Rodgers told the Daily Record.
“There’s no doubt about that. So that’s the level the guy is at as a player and as a captain, you want him on your team and on your side.”
31-year-old Brown, who earlier on Friday reversed his decision to retire from international football, is currently embarking on his tenth season at Celtic Park since arriving from Hibernian and already looks destined add to his six Scottish Premiership titles with The Hoops seven points clear of nearest challengers Inverness.
However, claims that the hard-tackling midfielder would fit seamlessly into a side blessed with the skill and craft of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly raise a few eyebrows
But Brown’s experience and innate winning mentality may have made Liverpool’s late-season capitulations, such as their fatal 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace to effectively hand Manchester City the title, rather more avoidable with The Reds free-flowing tendencies undermined by a lack of grit in the centre of the park.
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