Scott Brown urges Celtic to put rival transfer work to shame as he backs board with former Rangers ace example

Celtic hero Scott Brown says it’s up to the champions to find a scouting tool as reliable as Hearts’ Jamestown Analytics - as he backs the board through a former Rangers star.

The Hoops hierarchy have been criticised in recent windows for lacking a proactive approach in the transfer market. It comes amid a time where rivals Hearts are using minority investor Tony Bloom’s Jamestown recruitment software that allows the Premiership side to find uncovered gems across Europe.

Former Celtic captain Brown reckons the Hoops board are likely to get it in the neck for a variety of things at the moment but concedes they have relied too heavily on their long-serving core. He understands why the club are moving in silence but hopes there are plans in place to build a transfer structure that can leave the likes of Jamestown in the dust.

Scott Brown on Celtic transfers

Brown said: ”They relied too much on Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney, James Forrest, Daizen Maeda, the same core of the team. It is not a bad core. But look, everybody wants a little bit better, and I agree. You always want to try and sign.... and the players that do come in will sell. Celtic is always going to be a selling club if somebody down in England brings in somebody for £25m. It's a no-brainer for us, but the thing is, I think everybody has to come together. I think, slightly, the board make some sort of media post or do something and everybody slaughters them.

“Then they don't do nothing and you slaughter them. There's a no-win situation and sometimes being quiet is the best way. I'm not saying I know what's best at all, but they're probably trying to do their business in the background, as quietly as possible. I've not been in the club for five years now.

“I don't know what's happening day to day, but when I was there, it was spot on. Everything that was going on. You had a manager that was picking players, you had a team selection, you had a scouting network. I don't know what it's like day to day now. I'm not sure much has changed.

What type of scouting structure can Celtic have?

“I see Hearts coming in with Jamestown .I think that's unbelievable. I really like the way there is a means to go forward. How can Celtic go on and better that? How can they have the resources to go and put that to shame and hopefully come up with their own Jamestown in one way or the other?”

Then came the example of what would happen over if Celtic enquired about former Rangers man Andy Halliday at Motherwell, to which the ex-midfielder said ‘that would get some reception, wouldn’t it? Brown explained: “If Celtic come and say we’re trying to sign Andy Halliday from Motherwell. Naturally, Motherwell now know they want that player, and it just goes through the roof. The expectation levels, the value of the player also goes through the roof. So I get why they do that part quietly and I think every club should do it quietly.”