This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Celtic left-back Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo has given a rather entertaining interview to Celtic TV, including some huge praise for his captain Scott Brown.
What’s the word?
It’s no secret that it’s been a tough few weeks for Brown.
The Hoops skipper has given away two penalties already this season, much to the disgust of fans, and it is reaching that time of a player’s career when he needs to be rotated, no longer the first name on the team-sheet in every single fixture, or at least that’s what the fans think.
He delivered a vintage Broony performance against Rangers though, and it seems nobody was more appreciative of that than Bolingoli.
“He’s a big leader, he’s a legend for me,” said the left-back, signed for around £3m this summer.
“The way how he plays every game, you can only look up to him. For sure in the last game, in the derby, one moment he went in a duel and I was looking at him like ‘damn that’s a real captain’!
“Also outside the pitch he’s a cool guy, a nice guy. He helped me a lot also, he is cool, he laughs, he gives really a positive motivation.”
Brilliant leadership
If you needed another reminder that Brown is the perfect captain, which you probably didn’t, this is it.
Neil Lennon admitted earlier this campaign that Bolingoli was “lacking a bit of confidence”, and then along comes the skipper.
The fact that Bolingoli, a non-native English speaker who is, based on Lennon’s admission, finding it somewhat of a shock adjusting to the football culture in Scotland, speaks so fondly of his midfield stalwart tells you everything you need to know.
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It is quite regular for various branches to form within a squad based on nationality or language, even a tight-knit one – just look at Liverpool’s Brazilians – and it would be easy to assume Brown and Bolingoli aren’t exactly going to be best mates, even if they are good teammates.
However, it is clear from the smile on the left-backs face as he discusses his “cool” captain that while Brown may be declining slightly on the pitch, his leadership skills have never been better, and whether it be a bit of banter or some classic motivation, he is the perfect man to have leading a squad that just underwent a mass overhaul (11 in, 11 out).
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