It was only a friendly and he took advantage of an error, but Patryk Klimala’s goal against Nice last night got rid of the onerous burden that comes when every striker joins a new club, he is no longer waiting on his first goal.
Patryk is still only 21, living abroad for the first time and has a whole lot of work ahead, but in these respects he is no different than several strikers who have successfully developed into top talents at Celtic in recent seasons. We know how to transform prospects into champions, if you want to make it as a striker, this is the place to come.
I know that you and me both have a lot of time for Leigh Griffiths. He has proven his worth repeatedly in the six years since he arrived at Celtic Park, most notably by scoring 40 goals in season 2015-16. Since then, he has played more of a supporting role, first to Moussa Dembele and then Odsonne Edouard and he returned from off-field challenges before lockdown with an impressive scoring rate.
High standards, which would have been unrecognisable as recently as Martin O’Neill’s time, have been set at Celtic in recent years. They have contributed to the club being the most prodigious collector of trophies in Scottish football history. Neil Lennon is the curator of those standards and he knows more than anyone the cost if he lets them slip.
Leigh has a master’s degree in the science of ‘Prove them Wrong’. He has been written off and returned to the top more than anyone I can remember, whatever weaknesses he has, this determination to recover is a strength many overlook.
If you think he’s finished, you’ve not been paying attention.
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BHOYLO83- buying and paying players for 9 months and longer, before they are ‘up to it’ really needs to be looked at.
Did Griffiths get paid for sitting about on his allegedly fat arse for the best part of 4 months?
I have no sympathy for him.
Can you imagine getting away with that in any other industry?
Naw, me neither.
C’MON THE (FIT) CELTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bada Bing
Totally agree
🍀 HH
To be fair to Bayo, he has been brought to France so I doubt he’s in the same boat as Griffiths
He hasn’t kicked a ball in some time and has had a spotty injury history with Celtic. He might feature at some point.
Hopefully, he will be up to speed before long and can help out Eddy & Klimala.
Hello again all you young rebels.
Waiting on word from the Howgait here in Oz, it’s like hoping
Celtic tv is finally got it’s act together, and even has audio.
To be honest after a day in the garden with the tunes on it’s
like a cup final.
Will BIG JIMMY last the game? or will his previous injury curtail
his usual aggressive approach to attacking the opposition.
Will DAVID 66 more of a scheming midfielder be too happy
just to be on the field to bother about tactics.
And what about BIGRAILROADBLUES ? is there enough food in
the place for him to make a decent tackle?
So many questions, but…but… wish I was there 8-))
H.H. Mick
So,
there were various pictures , and twitter comments , where people saw LG out training during lcokdown.
I would have to assume in these tech switched on days, that the science department at Celtic Park were able to monitor everybodys weight, and heartbeat, and respiritory systems, remotely.
There was also visit to his home to celebrate the 9. So people saw him. Was he not also pictured in the new kit ?
Now, not taking him to France, this is what, 3 weeks after they returned to training at Lennoxtown, surely whatever is going on, its more than “not being as fit as the others”
If after that he is not applying himself, or is 2 kilos over his target, Then questions inside the organisation should be asked. Particulalry if this guy needs more support than the others then is he getting it ? If he is, is he not taking it ? Can he not take it ?
Dont hang the bhoy out, give him every chance to be in the head space he needs to be.
I ask you all seriously, give him air.
Does he look unfit to you ?
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/595502664/1584871103/600×200
Bada Bing – correct. Klimala came fit and ready to play at a time when we were desperate for new blood up front. If he cannot get a run of games now with Griff out of sorts and out of favour, then when?
With regards to Griff – it is hard to believe that when he showed up after three months out of shape and overweight anyone was surprised. The players were all in regular touch with the fitness coaches having been given personalised workouts, dietary plans etc. They would have been on the scales every day, sending in fitness data from monitoring devices and getting video calls to check on their health and state of mind. At least that’s what I hope happened . . . that’s what the coaches and sports scientists get paid big bucks for, no?
Saint Stivs – you beat me to it. Well said.
SAINT STIVS on 17TH JULY 2020 3:46 PM
Totally agree..
Saint Stivs,
Neil seemed to very publicly address your points.
“We’ve done everything we possibly could”.
Don’t hang the guy out to dry but let’s hang the guys out to dry at the club supporting him?
Strange logic.
Got to say, wish George Connolly had got the same patience
and understanding that Leigh has got.
Would have made massive diference.
H.H. Mick
Hi Bhoys
Griff was on the 9 in a row tv special from his home. He looked physically well on that show. Clubs sometimes need to put out smoke screens to protect their players. Leave the Griff alone for now. I hope that it is his fitness that needs tweaked and nothing else. Remember the green brigade banner “IT’S OK NOT TO BE OK”. Haste ye back Griff.
KEEP THE FAITH
Don’t get the LG love in from some. Celtic have done well by him as have the fans. He sticks up two fingers to both. Does he not realise just how big this season if for us? His actions would suggest otherwise.
Neil said LG was saying that he was injured, and that’s why he’s not at the required level, I don’t think he believes him….
Amongst some in our fanbase there seems to be a feeling that 10 will fall into our lap automatically . It won’t. We will have to work for it. I for one don’t want to rely on another major capitulation from Sevco. That may or may not happen. We need to get fully prepared to win it ourselves. We don’t need many signings but we need some. Apart from anything else freshening up a team is always good. By hook or by crook Sevco will get signings in. Lennon can’t afford to be caught cold.
This is unprecedented times. Lockdown has exasperated mental health issues.
We are very opinionated on defending various issues and persons unrelated to Celtic.
Let’s defend and help one of our own who is troubled, or is ” It is ok not to be ok” only empty rhetoric.
HH.
Deniabhoy- you can put a total figure on a transfer fee,and salary over the length of a contract, the financial percentage of when a player is ‘not up to it ‘ and therefore not available for selection is huge in some cases
SAINT STIVS, DENIABHOY & GREENPINATA,
Yes, it’s very odd one, you would think it would have been kept in house. Unless these’s more to it.
Lenny stated at the end of May…
“He’s [Leigh’s] in a good place mentally and physically and he’s been doing all his work and extra with the fitness coach.
Then Sean Maloney, who is making a reputation as a coach confirms what we thought regarding the sports science and data…
“It’s not a good situation but I’m sure there’s more to it than what we know,” the 37-year-old told the Scottish football podcast.
“You read the quotes and you can see how disappointed his manager is. Nowadays with the apps and the programmes they know exactly what the players are doing during lockdown.
Going to the press and chastising Leigh seems to be a completely different approach to where we were in 2018. Hope the “tough love” works.
Hail Hail
HH
Re Griffiths fitness all I know is that Fitbhoy would make an excellent posters monicker.
HH
Phil.
Bhoyjoebelfast @1:32.
Thanks for that.
Mazzy
It’s day 3 of the window, lasting 3 months…and with this season still ongoing in many countries. The manager said yesterday:
“We’re hoping to bring in a few more players as we go along. I am happy with the squad in the main and getting Moi over the line is agreat bit of business for us. So there’s continuity there for us going forward. The core group that are here I am very, very pleased with.”
` “The core group that are here I am very, very pleased with.”`
…and so am I but I sometimes feel I am in a minority :-)
HOT SMOKED
WELCOME!
MAZZY on 17TH JULY 2020 4:14 PM
We will have to work for it. I for one don’t want to rely on another major capitulation from Sevco.
____
I think it’s worth pointing out, that prior to the winter break Celtic had dropped 8 points from a possible 57.
We had set an incredibly high standard which we continued on after the winter break. They capitulated but you have to credit the team for an incredibly consistent season either side of the winter break.
The window will properly kick-off when the Spanish & English conclude their seasons at the end of next week.
If you check out global transfers on https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ you will see its very quiet.
Hi Guys,
Long, long, long time lurker but have finally registered to comment. I just enjoyed reading many informed and not so informed comments. Hope I can add something to the debates. Finally before anyone asks, no I’m not a H**.
HOT SMOKED
Your happy with 1 goalkeeper and 2 centre halfs
Ok….somebody frisk him….
I want school history,, pronunciation of the letter H validated and a background check of his photos looking for brown brogues…
JOCKS IMMORTAL LIONS on 17TH JULY 2020 4:49 PM
A warm welcome to you. .
HH.
JOCKS IMMORTAL LIONS
Welcome to the madhouse.HH
jocks immortal lions
Welcome to this dear green place
Just don’t mention the Griff!
ST TAMS on 17TH JULY 2020 4:50 PM
HOT SMOKED
Your happy with 1 goalkeeper and 2 centre halfs
___
Currently, we have Welsh, Elhamed & Bitton to cover the main 2 at the back.
I’d like to see another defender join to cover but it also depends where Neil Lennon sees young Welsh’s future.
We just handed him a new 3-year deal. Is it his turn to make the breakthrough?
JOCKS IMMORTAL LIONS
You sure??? :O)
Welcome Jocks Immortal Lions, I hope you realise in time you will be known as Jil & no doubt at times by Jill,
In relation to Griff, what’s worrying me are the noises coming from Lenny.
We don’t know precisely what is happening, but it certainly sounds as if Lenny has lost patience with him.
What Lenny thinks is far more important than what we think.
Thanks for the welcome guys. Yes I kinda knew l would end up as JIL but I just loved the moniker.!
CORKCELT,
With regard to your comments on Lenny: I couldn’t agree more.
As has been said, if the same patience and support had been given to George Connolly, he might have been able to fully realise his potential.
Voguepunter, let me guess the brown brogues gave me away?
On Griffiths, like many Celtic fans just a bit disappointed he returned in this condition considering the support the club have given him over the past year or so. On the flip side, he has came back from worse things than a few pounds overweight so I am optimistic he can get his head down and work his way back into the team.
JIL