Source: Team_Talk
GS: Brown can blossom with Bhoys
Brown took the plaudits from his fellow professionals at Sunday night's awards dinner in Glasgow for a series of dynamic displays that have helped the Hoops to the top of the Scottish Premier League and Co-operative Insurance Cup glory.
The 23-year-old saw saw off competition from team-mate Gary Caldwell and Rangers pair Pedro Mendes and Steven Davis to land the gong for the first time.
The award is bound to increase interest in Brown, who was linked in January with both Tottenham and Portsmouth.
But Strachan does not believe it is inevitable he will eventually lose the player he signed from Hibernian for a reported £4.4million almost two years ago and has watched blossom from a raw talent into the driving force behind Celtic's bid for a fourth straight SPL title.
"It's not inevitable; I think there are players who stay at clubs for a long time," Strachan said.
"It depends how much they enjoy it."
The Hoops boss added: "How good he'll be is what we should be looking at.
"It's up himself, really. Through his career, he's worked with good people at Hibs; hopefully, he's worked with good people at Celtic.
"Where he goes, I don't know - it's up to him. But he can play at a really high level - that's for sure."
Strachan also refused to contemplate life after Celtic following the announcement he had won the Manager of the Year Prize for the second time in its three seasons.
He said: "I like working - that's the best place. Trust me, when we get through the gates of Lennoxtown, that's when I'm at my best."
The Young Player of the Year award went to Hamilton's teenage winger James McCarthy, who has taken the SPL by storm in his debut season.
The 18-year-old singled out his family and manager Billy Reid as crucial to his development.
"My whole family have been great with me and the gaffer's been a huge influence on me," he said.
"He gave me my chance at 15 and it's just a dream come true to be playing in the SPL at the age of 18.
McCarthy has repeatedly been linked with moves away from Hamilton and is braced for a summer of speculation.
"I'm happy with what I'm doing for this club and if someone comes in, we'll sit down and speak," said the midfielder, who insists he would also be prepared to discuss extending his contract, which expires in 2011.
"Definitely. I'm happy with what I'm doing here so we just need to sit down and talk."
After missing out on the main award, Mendes had the consolation of picking up the Goal of the Season prize for his stunning long-range strike in Rangers' 4-2 Old Firm derby win at Parkhead in August.
The summer signing from Portsmouth told PA Sport: "It was my first Old Firm game and it was an important time when I scored the goal.
"It is the kind of goal you do not easily forget, so I'll keep that in my memories, that's for sure."
Last night's dinner also saw Aberdeen's 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup team receive PFA Scotland's Special Merit Award.
The side, managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, included Strachan and current Motherwell boss Mark McGhee.
