WHEN it comes down to it, what makes a man a leader?

Is it someone who rises above those beneath him to illuminate the way forward, or is it a prince among men that abides by the philosophy of ‘do as I do, not do as I say’?

Keen academics may thumb through their Collins dictionary to page 476, column two and read the description in an attempt to find the right answer. “A person who rules, guides, or inspires others,” it says.

In footballing terms, players and supporters tend to look for something more tangible from those chosen to lead not just teams on to a football pitch nowadays, but a club from top to bottom.

Scottish football, and more specifically Celtic, is witnessing the evolution of one such man. His name is Scott Brown, Scotland captain, club captain and development squad kitman.

A footballer supporters of clubs throughout the country love to hate due to his tenacious play at the heart of the Hoops midfield, his no-nonsense attitude and not to mention his penchant for being a bit of a wind-up merchant, Brown has become an inspiration to those behind him if not the few in front.

Yet we are now seeing a different side to the 30-year-old Celtic and Scotland captain who has already turned his attention to life beyond being in the heat of battle with those he leads around him.

Brown has been working with Stevie Frail and his development squad for the last year in an attempt to dip his toe into the world of coaching. The midfielder has been helping out on match days in between his first-team and international duties and is in contact on a regular basis to keep up to date with the next generation of talent coming through.

It is a world away from the glamour of captaining Celtic in a Champions League tie against Barcelona or skippering Scotland against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin, but Frail explains to SportTimes that there are no airs and graces when it comes to the idol a whole club holds in such high regard.

“I wouldn’t say the kids are in awe of him,” he explains. “They respect him and look up to who he is as a coach, a player and a club captain. You can’t get any better than that.

“But there’s a humble side to Scott as well. Last season we played Rangers at Murray Park. We had a fantastic win and while the boys were getting showered Scott made four or five trips to the bus with kit hampers and bags.

“That sets the tone and the standard. That’s the humility.

He also knows what he’s talking about as a coach. It’s a great start for him.

“There’s times where I can speak, speak and speak, but then you have the Scotland captain standing there and saying something to your kids. Especially the midfielders. It’s great for them. They can listen to him and take from his experiences.

“It’s an early start for his coaching but it’s great to have him.”

Brown’s eagerness to get involved and prove himself as a coach is something that simply won’t be derailed by the pursuit of success as a player. They are two things that go hand in hand for the Celtic midfielder.

Indeed, just two days before the club’s Champions League qualifier with Stjarnan on Wednesday, he gave up any potential rest time to join Frail and John Collins in the dugout at Cappielow to help out with a Celtic XI picked to take on Morton in Andy Bryan’s testimonial.

Brown was even seen taking the squad – that included team-mates Stefan Scepovic and Anthony Stokes – in their pre-match warm up while Ronny Deila watched on quietly from the stands.

“Ronny is pleased with him but a lot of it comes from Scott,” explained Frail. “It’s a good level for him and it’s good with them when the kids step up to train with the first-team he knows them. It’s a great link.

“He’s very measured. He has his say and puts his input into the team, which is always valuable. His view is sometimes different from mine and that’s good. He gets his point across.

“Even though he is the captain of the club and the Scotland captain, it’s different standing in front of a group of players and delivering something as a coach.”

It is only natural that a player who has spent most of career leading men on a football park would pursue doing so off it. It is a natural progression.

The transition and change of perspective doesn’t always suit every one, however, but Frail has been encouraged by what he has seen from Brown over the last year and is keen to get him involved even more.

“What we want more of is a coaching side from him where Scott comes in and does sessions,” said the development team manager. “He does things when he can and he’s a great help on match day, but we want him to build on that.

“Last season alone when he was at Cappielow watching the kids he managed to see things others didn’t. He’s obviously still young and will continue playing at the highest level. Hopefully he will get the Euro Championships next year with Scotland as well.

“He’s enjoying being here, we just want him more involved daily. Obviously he has his own programme made up but he had a big Champions League qualifier on Wednesday and he was down at Cappielow coaching the boys two nights before it. That shows his commitment.

“I’m certainly confident he’s got as good a future as a coach as he does as a player given what I’ve already seen from him.”