Former Scotland international Michael Stewart has insisted that Celtic manager Neil Lennon must force Scott Brown to sit out some games in order to keep him fresh until the end of the season.
Brown scored twice in Celtic’s 5-2 win over Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup semi-final at the weekend.
The 34-year-old midfielder is again having an influential season at Celtic and the club captain has started all barring two games for the Bhoys in all competitions.
Stewart has lauded the Celtic captain for being fit enough to continue delivering the goods week-in-week-out, but insisted that it cannot be sustained until the end of the season.
The former Scotland star stressed that Lennon has to find ways to give Brown rest in certain games as at 34, he cannot play 60 plus games in the campaign.
He admits that the Celtic star is a kind of player who would want to play every minute, but feels the Bhoys manager must take the decision out of Brown’s hands.
Stewart said on the Ladbrokes Social Club: “As a 34-year-old, he is looking fit as ever.
“He plays in a different game but he is still so influential.
“Obviously, the big thing is that he is not playing the internationals any more so he gets the rest there.
“I would also think the Neil Lennon has got to try and look to rest him in certain games as well because you can’t expect Scott Brown at 34 to go full season, playing 60 games.
“He is almost on track, he has played 26 games already.
“So, if you have got to look at certain games to try and give him a rest, but the problem is you asked Scott Brown ‘I want to rest you in certain games’, he’d say, ‘I want to play’.
“The manager has got to take the decision out of the player’s hands because Scott will try and play every game.”
Brown has made 540 appearances for Celtic since joining the club from Hibernian in 2007.
