LEIGH GRIFFITHS has returned to action in this week’s 6-0 Friendly win over Stenhousemuir. The Celtic striker hasn’t figured in the Celtic first team since a 3-1 over Hearts in August. This is on the back of a long period of convalescence around his well-documented mental health challenges last season. Since August it’s been reported that it’s injury and illness that have kept Griffiths from first team consideration.
It is certainly fantastic to see Leigh back in the fold and it may just be the timing could work out just right for the club and the player, who is arguably the best natural goalscorer at the club.
His performance midweek, and with Celtic still only having one fit striker in the shape of Odsonne Edouard means we could see Neil Lennon bring Leigh back in from the cold. It’s a chance he has to grasp with both hands. The opportunity is there.
Celtic have eleven games in an incredibly busy December schedule. It’s also eleven games before the transfer window opens. It could well be that this opportunity could be the last to impress. Leigh Griffiths could well have only six weeks to show he can return to form and fitness. Six weeks to prove he’s at the stage where he is ready for regular and consistent selection.
If in that six week period Leigh can’t quite get back in the grove he’ll leave manager Neil Lennon with a tough decision to make. Along with Vakoun Bayo, Griffiths is scrapping it out to be the striker backing up Odsonne Edouard. If either of these players don’t start performing and being ready for selection on a consistent basis it may leave Neil Lennon with no other option left open to cover his own back and go to the Celtic Board and ask for adequate support for French Eddy.
Celtic will already be acutely aware that Odsonne Edouard is attracting interest across Europe and Nick Hammond will already be scouting forward players to cover this eventuality. The lack of time on the pitch for both back-up choices would likely mean Hammond may well have been asked to have a first choice and second choice striker to be earmarked to come in at short notice.
Celtic boss Lennon discussed Leigh in his press conference today: “He will be involved with the squad. Slowly but surely. He had an hour on Tuesday, he looked good so he will be in and around it,” Sky Sports reported.
He said: “He is good, he is happy. He needs to stay there now and improve his conditioning. It is bit by bit but we have seen enough now to think he may make a contribution.
“We have 11 games between now and the end of December and we will be using the squad and Leigh obviously is a part of that.”
It appears the gauntlet has been thrown down to Leigh Griffiths. These next weeks could mark a watershed moment in the striker’s Celtic career. Leigh has risen to greater challenges of late than playing football. That strength of character may well be tested between now and the transfer window opening.
The next six weeks are simply massive for Leigh Griffiths. You’d fancy him to rise to the challenge.
Niall J
