‘GRIFF IS JUST PHENOMENAL,’ INSISTS BROONY

SCOTT BROWN praised the display of Leigh Griffiths as Celtic ran amok against Astana last night.

The striker tried to claim a goal that went in off defender Igor Shitov, but the Hoops skipper said: “The performance was about Leigh’s hold-up play and what he does for the team.

“A couple of years ago, he would have been taking shots whenever he got the ball up there, but you see his link-up play now, it is of the highest level.

“He is holding off 6 foot 5 inch defenders – that should tell you just how much he has come on.

“I thought he was phenomenal for us, but I have thought that from the start of the season.

“I just sense that he is up for it and ready to put in another strong campaign. He has certainly started how he means to go on.

“To go and put a display in like that in the Champions League qualifiers, when there is so much at stake, shows the level he is at.

“So much of how we have been playing comes down to Griff. Every defence starts with him, he works his backside off – if he didn’t work it would be a lot harder for us.

“He is fit, he is keen, he is lively and you can guarantee that he will be in among the goals this season.”

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