Leigh Griffiths could find himself having his loan deal at Dundee cut short, according to Tam McManus. The pundit, who also played for Dundee, has often backed Griffiths but says that if he doesn’t start to do more then James McPake will be forced to consider cutting their losses with the former Scotland Internationalist.
Speaking to PLZ Soccer, McManus said that Dundee would have expected more from the 30-year-old when they signed him on a season-long loan from Celtic.
“30 years old now and he’s not had the impact a lot of people thought he would have at Dundee.
“He’s still quite a young man. He should be coming to his peak. For me, it was between 28 and 32 as a striker you’re getting into your peak.
“He’s in the middle of his peak years and he’s not getting a game for Dundee, so he’s got no chance of getting a game for Celtic.
“McPake will be looking at it and going ‘right do I stick with him until the end of the season, or do I send him back and try to get somebody else in’.
“So it will be interesting to see what he does but he’s not had that impact that everybody thought he would have.”
Dundee are likely picking up a portion of Griffiths’ wage and given that he has been omitted from The Dark Blues’ starting XI for the last five games, it is fair to say that the manager is likely considering his options. Griffiths has made 10 appearances this season and managed just 1 goal since arriving at Dens Park.
The player, who scored 123 goals for Celtic, will know that there is almost no chance of him being offered anything going forward by Celtic and the fact that Dundee are not using him despite their struggles for goals is telling. He has been offered a number of chances in recent times but fitness issues have left him struggling for game time. The sideshow regarding his Instagram amplified concerns about whether Griffiths would take Celtic battle for the league seriously sparking a loan move just weeks after the decision to offer him an extension.
Things came to a head with Griffiths in the friendly game against West Ham when he was booed by sections of the Celtic support. This season, he has also been embroiled in controversy after he kicked a flare into the St Johnstone fans after they scored and launched the pyrotechnic onto the pitch.
Its hard to feel sympathy for him it really is. for someone who was a 30 goals a season guy to someone who can’t get in a bottom half of the table Dundee team. Hopefully he can maybe get himself a move down south where his baggage won’t be as much as an issue in Scotland and at least stay in the game. He really had the world at his feet