'Brown has gone up another level at Huddersfield' says Warne
And, says Rotherham United's interim boss, the 20-year-old Chelsea loan man has the ability to go on and carve out a career in the Premier League.
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Hide AdBrown returns to the New York Stadium with Championship high-flyers Huddersfield Town tonight (7.45pm), not long since ending a five-month loan stint with the Millers.
He's bagged four goals in the last five games, surpassing the three in 20 he scored in the first half of the season for the Championship's bottom club.
Warne sees that as a sign of Brown's continual improvement since he first swapped London for Yorkshire back in the summer and he doesn't begrudge him his success.
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Hide Ad"I don't think anyone involved at this club is surprised at how well Izzy has done. He is a tremendous talent and a great bloke," Warne told the Advertiser.
"In virtually every game he played for us he was the best player on the pitch, so playing in a more attacking team, he was always going to have more involvement in setting up chances and scoring goals
"He improved here with us and he's gone up another level at Huddersfield. If you're one of the best players in one of the best teams in the Championship, it doesn't seem unreasonable to think he can go and play for another top-flight club because he has the ability to play. He likes the ball in tight areas, he knows what's around him and the Premier League would suit his style even more, so I wouldn't be surprise if he goes on and has a great career there."
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Hide AdWarne still keeps in contact with Brown, telling him what he thinks of his performances "in a nice way". He doesn't wish him well tonight for obvious reasons but respects his willingness to leave the bright lights of London and develop his game elsewhere.
Added Warne: "In fairness to him, a lot of players similar to him wouldn't have come on loan to Rotherham. He was prepared to leave London and come to Yorkshire for a few months and although he was on the bench at times and played out of position other times, he kept his head down and kept wanting to play. He's gone to Huddersfield for another challenge and that sums up the lad."