Celtic have won their last four Scottish Premiership games by an aggregate 20-2 scoreline in the absence of Scott Brown.
The relationship between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Sweden national team is nothing short of fascinating.
The former AC Milan, Barcelona, PSG and Manchester United striker is arguably the greatest player in his country’s history and their all-time top scorer with 62 strikes in 116 games. But the uncomfortable truth emerged after Ibrahimovic’s international retirement after Euro 2016 – Sweden seemed to play better without their influential talisman.
Yes, the Swedes lacked Ibra’s panache, his game-changing brilliance or his headline-grabbing pearls of ‘wisdom’. But they seemed to click more effectively as a team en route to qualifying for the 2018 World Cup at the expense of bona fide European giants Holland and Italy.
Are Celtic suddenly finding themselves in a similar position with the inspirational, trophy-hoarding skipper Scott Brown?
Even at the age of 33, Brown remains one of the first names on Celtic’s team sheet, with manager Brendan Rodgers a huge fan of his ability to organise the team on the pitch and dictate the tempo. No wonder Celtic fans were concerned when the former Hibernian ace was ruled out recently with injury.
But they need not have worried. Celtic have produced their best performances of the season in Brown’s absence, winning their last four league games by an aggregate score of 20-2 while also hammering Hearts in the Scottish League Cup semi-final.
Callum McGregor has stepped up in a deeper role, offering more thrust, energy and dynamism than the ageing Brown does in the same position.
Brown’s contract expires in the summer and he has been linked with a shock move to Australia by the Daily Mail. But, like Sweden without Ibra, Celtic would not simply fall apart if their long-serving general rides off into the sunset.
In fact, they could thrive.
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