Three articles in two days about Craig Levein is three articles too many; that man is simply not worth so much of my time or effort. But it’s important to tackle the nonsense he’s been talking these past few days and to place his comments in their proper context. It’s also important to look beyond his Brendan Rodgers issues and at his issues with Celtic in general.
The game at the weekend was an exercise in controlled thuggery. How Lafferty remained on the park is a mystery only the referee will be able to explain; I was reminded of it watching the gurning, spewing, furious performance turned in last night by Alfredo Morelos. His general behaviour was appalling. He would fit nicely into Levein’s playing style.
The moment everyone is talking about today was Naismith’s vicious assault on Scott Brown. He was told today that the SFA is offering him a two match ban. Hearts have refused to accept it and so he is free to play tonight. Never let it be said that Craig Levein doesn’t use any advantage within the rules, and that’s not a criticism.
But Naismith deserved the ban. He should have been red-carded during the game. He was lucky to escape sanction not only for that incident but for the attack on Forrest as well. But it’s the Brown one that rankles. It’s that one which causes anger.
And it is the reason I’m writing my third article of the week on Craig Levein, because I understand exactly why he wants Naismith exonerated; he genuinely doesn’t believe that the striker did anything wrong. Indeed, he was just following Levein’s own instructions, fitting into the perception of our captain which Levein tried to establish earlier in the season for all clubs and the governing bodies as well; Scott Brown – Menace to Society.
It was Levein who tried to propagate the myth that Brown was a player from whom the rest of Scottish football needed “protection.” It was Levein who tried to paint a target our own captain’s back. As it happens, we should probably be grateful for it. I’ve never seen Brown turn in more determined performances since Levein’s daft remarks.
Naismith had his own reasons for going all-out during the match. He and Lafferty have doubtless read Gerrard’s assertion that he wants players capable of dishing out the pain for his revolution at Ibrox; I think they saw the game as an audition for roles with the Ibrox NewCo next season. In that, they performed exactly as required.
But it was Levein who painted at target on Brown’s back. He was the one who set out to mark our captain’s card with every so-called enforcer in the Scottish game, and with the referees as well. There was a moment shortly after a particularly heavy tackle on Brown when Levein was grinning from the touchline; none of it mattered. Scott soldiered on. He played with his usual drive and determination, but without ever once crossing the line.
Whatever Levein was hoping for on the day, he didn’t get it. Instead his striker was cited for his neddish behaviour, and Levein doesn’t like it. But he caused it. He inspired it. Doubtless his team-talk actually singled Scott Brown out … the results are entirely down to him.
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