The Celtic midfielder remains vital to the club but he will not be around forever.
At 32, Celtic midfielder Scott Brown has a few years left in him yet, but that does not mean the Bhoys should overlook the vital job in signing his long-term replacement.
After all, it is surely no coincidence that the midfielder has only missed two league games this season and Celtic have failed to win either of them.
The latest setback came on Saturday when the Bhoys could only draw 1-1 with Kilmarnock. On that occasion Olivier Ntcham and Eboue Kouassi played in the centre of the park and, while both are young, there is a feeling among some Celtic supporters that they are not enough when their skipper is unavailable.
For now Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is doing well and continuing to build an impressive squad both for now and for the future, but replacing Brown will be no easy task – for player or manager – and it would be wise to bring in another experienced head either this January or next summer.
In time Ntcham and Kouassi could fulfil their potential and make a similar mark at Celtic as Brown has over the years but, if they fall short, the Bhoys will suffer as a consequence and they cannot afford that.
The best managers think ahead and focusing on an eventual replacement for a player who already has 435 appearances for Celtic would be a very smart move, even at this stage of his career.
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