Celtic boss Neil Lennon has hailed Scott Brown’s “magnificent” response since being left out of the team.
And he has given the midfielder further hope that he might lead his side out at Hampden in Sunday’s delayed 2019-20 William Hill Scottish Cup final.
The 35-year-old has been an unused substitute as Celtic have won their last two games, with Ismaila Soro and David Turnbull brought into their midfield.
Brown had started all but one of the previous 12 games, which yielded just two victories.
Lennon now has a major decision to make as Celtic look to clinch the quadruple treble against Hearts at Hampden.
The Celtic boss told BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound programme: “He’s been fantastic, as you would expect. He’s quite a unique individual. He has carried the dressing room for a long, long time, through thick and thin.
“Even with him being left out of the team, his attitude has been magnificent and he’s trying to galvanise everyone still.
“At the end of the day, he’s an icon of the club and a modern-day great, and he may have a chance of starting on Sunday.
“And I have been there when you are starting to come to the end of your career. It’s tough, and you want to hang in there, and he has still got plenty to offer, there is no question of that, on and off the field.”
'I was in the spotlight of big clubs: Arsenal was concrete and Manchester United was concrete - but Feyenoord was the dream' Star name drops Premier League clubs as having fought for his signature
'My surname was a handicap, no doubt. I’d get told, ‘If you wanted to avoid all of the attention, just don’t play football’. But I wanted to because I loved it!': Diego Maradona Jr. achieved great success despite his name proving a hinderance in the sport
