Chris Sutton has been perhaps the biggest critic of Leigh Griffiths all season, condemning the striker for his lack of fitness and inability to play a full 90 minutes. And it was a subject that Sutton returned to this evening on BT Sport’s Scottish Football Extra after Griffths rescued a point for John Kennedy’s side in the Scottish Premiership dead rubber on Wednesday night up at Pittodrie.
And it is this fitness issue that Sutton believes will draw the curtain down on the Celtic career of the striker.
“Callum McGregor has said Leigh Griffiths is the best finisher in the country,” Sutton noted. “But Leigh needs to get himself in good enough shape so he can play 90 minutes.
“Is he a good finisher? Of course he is. Is he good for little cameos of 15 or 20 minutes if you need a goal? Yes he is.
“But would I keep him at Celtic? Not if he can’t play 90 minutes. I don’t really see the value otherwise. The fact of the matter is – if he’s not playing regularly then his fitness levels are going to get worse and worse. And that won’t suit either party.”
And another former striker added his tuppence worth to the debate. Ally McCoist, the former Rangers and Scotland striker, reckons that unless Griffiths can play the a full match then Scotland manager Steve Clarke should NOT take the Celtic striker to the Euros this summer.
“I’ve already gone on record as saying Leigh Griffiths would be the best finisher in that Scotland squad,” McCoist said. “It might be a little bit rich me then saying, ‘how can you NOT take someone who would be our best finisher?’
“But at the same time, in all their games Scotland need players who are totally committed – which I’m not saying Leigh wouldn’t be. But they also need to have players who are totally fit to work their socks off.
“If we are to get anything out of these three European Championship games then we will have to have 11 players and subs who will work, run and do everything they possibly can. Fitness will be a massive thing for Scotland,” he added.
