Not Much Fun To Be Had Before A Game

Christmas may be the centre of many people lives at this time of year but footballers cannot relax and join in all the festive fun. Celtic will be taking on Dundee today and will have been in training on Christmas Day. This is tough on players with young families who may not understand why daddy has to leave the fun. Scott Brown has been around long enough to say that the toughest part of playing over the festive period is not being able to spend more time with family on Christmas Day. The players will have had some time at home on Monday before heading to train in the evening at Celtic Park. However, the Celtic captain insists it’s necessary to do the job he loves.

He went on: "Everyone loves Christmas and New Year as a time to go out and enjoy themselves but for us it’s getting harder and harder as we have so many games to focus on. We have nine in December and we always have to make sure we are on it. You are in training and everything is to 100 per cent, the way the gaffer wants it. On Christmas Day, you get family coming down, you get the Christmas tunes on and have dinner then you chill and look forward to your desert afterwards – but I won’t be getting that this year! It’s hardest leaving the kids more than anything as on Christmas Day as they are so excited and are bouncing off the roof. You know how much energy I have so you can imagine how much energy they have on Christmas Day! They will be playing with toys and opening things up and I’ll be going from that and jumping into the car to drive to training, before going up to Dundee for the game.  It’s hard to leave them on Christmas Day but you have to do it. It’s my job and it’s something I enjoy and something I’m lucky to do. And I do it for my family which is the main thing."