Ange Postecoglou reveals Celtic message to Callum McGregor that inspired skipper to replace Scott Brown

Ange Postecoglou knew it was a pointless exercise trying to find a Scott Brown clone to be Celtic captain.

After all, how do you replace a one-off?

Brown’s influence at Parkhead was immeasurable having etched his name into folklore beside the all-time greats.

The manager was well aware of this when he arrived in Glasgow last summer.

But if he was going to lead a revolution at Celtic he still needed a lieutenant in the dressing-room.

Postecoglou could have searched around Europe and beyond to fill Brown’s shoes. But he quickly realised that, in Callum McGregor, he had the perfect candidate already in the building.

Anyone who has ever met Brown and McGregor will appreciate the contrast in character.

While Brown snarled his way around the pitch, carrying and cajoling his team-mates, McGregor has a quiet efficiency about him.

The Scotland midfielder still leads by example – but not in the way Brown did.

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And one thing they have in common is a steely resilience and will to win that are prerequisites when you go to an Old Firm club.

Postecoglou had no doubts about where the armband was going.

And as they prepare for a powderkeg derby against Rangers at Ibrox today that will have a huge bearing on