Broonie could bow out on a high like Cesar
Lynch reckons skipper may want to finish Celts career like McNeill by winning Cup in his last match
THERE was a silver lining for Billy McNeill after the dark clouds that enveloped Celtic when they failed to win 10 in a row.
The legendary captain was carried shoulder-high around Hampden after lifting the 1975 Scottish Cup. It was a fitting end to the illustrious Parkhead career of the legendary Lisbon Lions captain despite the blow of missing out on the league title to Rangers. McNeill only announced to his team-mates that he would be retiring minutes before Jock Stein’s men went out and beat Airdrie 3-1 to lift the trophy. Now, with Celtic’s second shot at 10 in a row almost certain to end in failure, it’s the kind of end current captain Scott Brown would surely settle for if he hangs up his boots after this campaign. Brown will still be 35 by the time of the Scottish Cup Final on May 8, the same age as Cesar when he retired. Lifting the famous old trophy would see the current skipper draw level on 23 major honours for the club. McNeill was a mainstay in his final season. Brown has played a bit-part but reminded boss Neil Lennon of his qualities with his header setting the Hoops on their way to the 4-0 win at Kilmarnock. It was a contrast to his previous appearance when he was shown a red card just five minutes after coming on at Livingston. There are no guarantees this season’s Scottish Cup will even be completed after the chaos of Covid-19. Record Sport revealed yesterday it could be carried over into next season.
On this year’s form, Celts will be doing well to reach Hampden and Brown has work to do to regain a regular start with the form of Ismaila Soro and David Turnbull.
Andy Lynch was one of the players who held McNeill aloft 46 years ago. He knows Brown will be hoping for a silver send-off but that the script doesn’t always go to plan.
If it doesn’t and Celtic finish trophyless for the first time in a decade, the 69-year-old says it shouldn’t overshadow Brown’s legacy at the club.
Recalling that 1975 Scottish Cup final, when Paul Wilson netted a double and Pat McCluskey the other, Lynch said: “Billy was an icon so we were more determined than ever that he would be able to celebrate it as captain.
“He’d won so many honours so it was a fitting end but professional football doesn’t always work out like that and if we didn’t win that cup final I’d like to think he would have been remembered for all the trophies he lifted.
“I would say the same for Scott and if he doesn’t bow out on a high with the Cup – which now looks like their only realistic chance of silverware – then he’d reflect on what he has achieved rather than ending in disappointment.
“If that’s as good as it gets for him then he’s luckier than most. He’s had a great run and done well.
“Sentiment and football simply don’t go together. Billy played a big part to win that 1975 final. It wasn’t a case of playing him in the hope of a winning send-off. Scott Brown, while I’m not saying his career is over or anything like that, is not as good as he has been.
“I’m not sure that’s why Celtic want to win the Cup but it might be why HE wants to win it.
“Knowing the competitor he is, there will be a desire within him to prove he is worthy of a place in the team and end on a high.
“If they have conceded the league, though maybe not publicly, then the pressure is on Celtic now to win the Scottish Cup.
“Scott will already be thinking of the next chapter in his career. He will be thinking along the line of coaching if he’s not going to be starting every game.
“Billy retired after that 1975 Scottish Cup final and years later he told me he felt it was premature. But he was influenced by Big Jock who felt it was the best bet and given their relationship you would listen to your manager.
“The experience he had, his reading of the game was superb, and he was the best header of the ball I played with or against.
“He was mobile, he was fit, and I was interested to hear him say years later he felt he should have continued. He was still a fantastic player and when we beat Airdrie he was majestic. Airdrie were always tough and had a lot of good players and fancied their chances.”
Lynch admitted it’s been a catastrophic attempt to succeed where he failed in a bid to win 10 in a row under Lennon this season and questioned the commitment of some of the players.
He said: “There’s players in the team who don’t look like they’re willing to give everything and ultimately it comes back to the manager.
“If he’s let it slip or let the players drop to 80 per cent then it comes back to the manager. “Ismaila Soro and David Turnbull are two very good players and one of the few highlights since the end of last year. “But their performances have been overshadowed by the poor results. “But Scott Brown should still be remembered for the trophies he’s won rather than the disarray they have been in this season. “Football can change so quickly and they are stumbling from one week to the next and in doing that losing credibility. “It will be a hard time for Scott Brown as captain but there’s only so much he can do. “But a lot of players at Parkhead need a right good shake.”