ANGE POSTECOGLOU will sort out the Leigh Griffiths situation within 48 hours.
The Celtic striker was sent home from the club’s pre-season training camp in Wales after allegations of inappropriate messages to two schoolgirls.
However, the frontman, who will be 31 next month, has now been cleared by Police Scotland following a probe, as CQNreported last night.
The Parkhead hierarchy said they, too, would be launching an investigation into the claims which the authorities have now concluded after ruling there was no criminality involved.
Griffiths, who had a 12-month extension clause in his contract activated by Postecoglou at the start of the month, has been forced to sit out the warm-up games against Sheffield Wednesday (3-1) and Charlton (2-1) and he was missing again in last night’s goalless draw with Bristol City.
Asked about Griffiths’ position, the new Hoops gaffer, speaking to the Daily Record, answered: “You know how much time I have spent thinking about that?
“You’ve asked me and I’ve just thought about it.
“We’ll let it run it’s course and once it’s done and we get back up to Scotland then we’ll deal with it then. I’ve not spoken to him.”
Griffiths is now at the centre of more controversy after his public spat with ex-boss Neil Lennon over weight issues during last season’s wretched campaign where the forward claimed a meagre seven goals and did not play 90 minutes in a solitary game. He has collected 25 goals over the past three years in which, admittedly, he has had health issues.
He may yet be thrown a lifeline and could get a run-out against Championship side Preston on Saturday at Parkhead where 2,000 fans will be allowed back into the ground for the first time since March last year.
Certainly, Griffiths requires game time if he is even to make the substitutes’ bench against FC Midtjylland in the Champions League second round qualifier in Glasgow on Tuesday.
The ultimate decision – and the player’s future – rests with Postecoglou.
