Convincing Scott Brown to give up a swansong at Celtic to be part of Stephen Glass’ vision at Aberdeen clearly excites the new man in the Pittodrie dugout.
Few might have been sceptical when Hoops legend and captain Brown was linked with a role with the Dons, but a long-standing friendship with Glass ultimately paid dividends in luring him north.
While Brown remains focused on Celtic duties until the summer, his arrival at Aberdeen in the summer and key role in Glass’ plans for the future was a prominent theme in yesterday’s press conference.
“I had a lot of conversations with him,” said Glass. “I said if I got an opportunity at interview could I include him and he said he would like that chance. When I got offered the job, the next step was to get Scott Brown done.
“What Mr Lawwell came out and said showed how important Scott is to us and to Celtic.”
Celtic’s desperation to keep Brown continued right up to the day he was due to sign his pre-contract with Aberdeen, with Glass revealing Peter Lawwell’s attempts to keep him at Parkhead.
Glass said: “The fact that Mr Lawwell said they tried desperately to keep Scott Brown says everything about Scott Brown. I know for a fact they did on the last day that he was up here signing his pre-contract.
“They were desperate to keep him and there were people trying to convince him not to come.
“I believe I had provided everything that I could. He’s not here for the money. He’s here for the opportunity, for trust and the environment he’s going to be working in.”
The new Aberdeen boss, who also has England coach Allan Russell on his staff, remains in contact with Brown but is respectful of him still being contracted to Celtic.
There is a potential scenario of Brown coming up against his future employers in both league and Scottish Cup action in the closing weeks of the season.
“I was talking to Scott before the interview process, but I’ve backed off a bit since,” added Glass. “I do speak to him, but less so because I’m very respectful of Scott’s position at Celtic and of Scott’s respect for Celtic.
“If Scott had been playing for a normal club he probably would have stopped playing and became a coach and then a player next season.
“But the respect he has for the club that has given him everything is enormous.
“I have to have that distance that when it’s close to match day I stop hassling him because he has to look after Celtic.
“I hope it doesn’t get into a situation where he has to face Aberdeen in a big cup game and he has to do the business. But stranger things have happened.”
There are similarities to when Aberdeen brought Roy Aitken to the club in the early-1990s, with Glass playing alongside the Celtic great in reserve games for the Dons.
“In my opinion, it is bigger,” said Glass. “Roy had left Celtic I believe a wee while before that. We have signed the Celtic captain that is still playing for Celtic and that Celtic still want.
“Roy was a huge figure and I actually played reserve games with him, so I know what sort of personality he was on the pitch. I know what he offered young players.
“He played first team first and then kind of drifted when his coaching started. It is similar, there are huge similarities.
“But in terms of the actual playing side, take away everything else, the player we are getting in Scott Brown is incredible.
“You see him playing now and he looks like he can play until he is 40. That is probably the next job, convincing him he can. I think he wants to play as long as he can, as well as he can.
“He is a professional, an ultimate professional, an ultimate winner. Having him be part of this carries a lot of weight.
“Scott coming and choosing to be part of this, Allan Russell choosing to be part of this, shows that I am right in thinking this will be a success.”
Aberdeen legend Bobby Clark believes new boss Stephen Glass will bring excitement back to Pittodrie