I’M not only saying this because of the defeat that Celtic suffered at the hands of Rangers in the last game before the winter break, and in particular, Scott Brown’s performance in that match, but I feel it is coming to the stage in his career where both he and the club have to consider his future.

A possible move to Australia for the Celtic captain - wonderful servant to the club as he has been over the years - could well be the best move for both parties at the end of the season.

The game against Rangers isn’t the sole motivation for saying that, but it certainly highlighted why it may be time to consider his options. Whereas in the past he has dominated that midfield area, he struggled at Ibrox, and that is the reason why I think for the first time personally that it could be a real possibility he will choose to move on.

Other people have been talking about it for a little while now, particularly given the fine form of Callum McGregor when he was filling in there for him earlier in the season when Brown was injured, and the 90 minutes against Rangers has only strengthened their argument.

Scott Brown himself will know that the Old Firm fixture is one that he has tended to set the tone in, and it was the opposite in the last game. Whether that strengthens his resolve to carry on and try to prove himself once again remains to be seen, and it really is a tough call for him.

There is a lifestyle angle to consider as well. He has a family, and that has to make Australia a huge pull for him too.

In general terms, my assessment of the Old Firm game is that over and above just Brown, Celtic simply didn’t turn up. Rangers were the more committed team and they deserved their victory on the day.

The manager will always be questioned after losing a game like that, and Brendan Rodgers has taken Emilio Izaguirre out of the starting line-up and played Callum McGregor at left-back. The reason that has been highlighted so much since is because the midfield area is where the match was won and lost. McGregor was still Celtic’s best player at left-back, but they were crying out for him in the midfield. On reflection, the midfield suffered, and that definitely played a part in the defeat. But the overriding factor for me was that Celtic, both on an individual and collective level, simply didn’t play as well as they are capable of, and Rangers didn’t really have one failure on the day.

It may be old fashioned to think like this, but in that fixture, commitment plays a big, big part. And when your team is more committed and is winning the 50/50s and the second balls, it has a bearing on the outcome. For me, that is why Rangers won the game and Celtic didn’t, because they were by far the more committed team, particularly in that midfield.

If it was a regular occurrence, it may alarm Brendan Rodgers, but one thing I would say is that the away form overall needs to be addressed. They haven’t been good enough away from Celtic Park this season, and while on paper Celtic clearly have the better players going in against anyone in Scotland, they have to make sure that their approach to every game, particularly away from home, is right. At times this season, that doesn’t look to have been the case, and that’s why they have struggled slightly.

The irony of course is that they are still sitting top of the league. It is a tighter race than it has been for many a year, and from a neutral point of view, that makes it more interesting. But I still think Celtic will win it.

Whatever happens in the case of Brown, there is no way he will leave Celtic on a low note. He has achieved too much for that as a Celtic player, and a Celtic captain. Whatever he decides, he deserves thanks for that, and I wish him all the best.