Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers believes Scott Brown, Callum McGregor and James Forrest deserve individual awards for their fantastic form this season.
The Hoops are closing in on their seventh consecutive Scottish Premiership title – their second under Rodgers – and Brown, McGregor and Forrest are three players who have more than played their part.
Brown, who joined Celtic from Hibernian in 2007, has made 466 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops.
The club captain has been a regular this season, racking up 50 games in the Scottish Premiership, Champions League, Europa League, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup combined.
Rodgers said of the 32-year-old:
“Scott Brown, I would assume, would be in the running. His technical and tactical ability in the games, and with the pressures he’s coped with domestically and in Europe, has been absolutely outstanding.”
As for McGregor, the 24-year-old has risen through the youth ranks to the Celtic first-team and has been indispensable this season.
The midfielder has made 49 appearances in all competitions, contributing 18 goals, and has been likened to retired Bayern Munich legend Philipp Lahm for his tactical knowledge and versatility.
The Celtic manager added:
“Callum McGregor is getting the little bit of credit he deserves. Philipp Lahm was a great player at Bayern Munich who could play in full-back positions and in midfield, and Callum is that version for me here at Celtic.
“Wherever he plays, he’s minimal seven out of ten. He has this incredible tactical ability to understand the game. He’s a player of real intelligence. He knows the whole pitch and that’s always the mark of the really gifted players for me.
“He knows the game at full-back or if I play him as a No.10, No.8 or wide. He’s an absolutely joy to work with and to see him grow, develop and produce in the big games is great to see, and there’s still a lot more to come from him.”
Forrest has enjoyed a good season with Celtic too. The 26-year-old has played in 286 games for the Hoops since making his debut in 2010 and has become a key member of the first-team.
The winger has contributed 25 goals in 52 games this season and was a standout performer against Bayern in the Champions League.
“James Forrest has brought consistency this year to his game. To have scored 16 goals as a winger and have double figures in assists, he’s been absolutely outstanding. Some of our younger players have been very good as well.
“Some of the other teams, domestically, the guys have done very well. But you look at James Forrest and he was the best player on the pitch against Bayern Munich, a team in the Champions League semi-final.”