Former Celtic star Kris Commons believes Leigh Griffiths has thrown his future at the club into doubt, writing in The Scottish Daily Mail this week (13/07 print edition, Verdict supplement page 16).
Commons’ column was devoted to Griffiths’ situation and he didn’t hold back with criticism for the striker’s apparent lack of fitness ahead of the new season.
It was reported by The Daily Record at the weekend that Griffiths had returned to training this summer out of condition and above his optimum playing weight.
A Celtic spokesperson confirmed he would not be travelling with his teammates to face Nice, Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain, instead staying at Lennoxtown to work on his fitness.
Commons believes the 29-year-old may now even be fourth in line when it comes to the striking position and reckons the Scotland international is playing a dangerous game when it comes to his Celtic Park future.
As quoted by The Scottish Daily Mail (13/07 print edition, Verdict supplement page 16), the Sky Sports pundit said: “Knowing Griffiths as I do, I can tell you right now he won’t have been tuning in to the Joe Wicks videos every morning.
“He’s always been very laid back when it comes to training. He’s not a Callum McGregor-type figure, who is first in the building every morning and the last to leave.
“Griffiths is a maverick. But the reality is that he’s playing a very dangerous game because he’s now needlessly thrown his future at the club into doubt.
“Given the enormity of the season ahead and the chance to clinch the Holy Grail of ten in a row, it feels like he is blowing the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Perhaps though there is less drama behind the scenes than you might expect from a glance at such coverage.
The Scottish Sun reported on Sunday night that Neil Lennon has in fact reassured the striker that his career at Celtic is far from over and that he can still play a big part in the season ahead.
It’s said by the paper that the duo had a heart-to-heart discussion, with Griffiths still very much in the plans of the manager if he can get his fitness up to scratch.
That’s obviously a sensible approach from Lennon and there’s no reason to think that Griffiths has been bombed out of contention completely.
If anything this could have been the perfect motivating action for the striker to find the hunger needed to compete for a position in Lennon’s first-team.
Hopefully that’s the case because, on his day, Griffiths is an excellent Celtic striker.
In other news, Celtic have reportedly received a boost in the pursuit of Fraser Forster.
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