Not time for Griffiths to move

873

The general reaction to reports that a £1m bid has been received for Leigh Griffiths is that the figure undervalues the player.  Early in the season the story was different.  Leigh, who joined in January last year, was behind new arrivals John Guidetti and Stefan Scepovic.  His perceived value was close to zero, alongside most players sitting on the bench or in the stand.

We were panicked on 31 August last year.  Having signed Amido Balde and Teemu Pucki a year earlier we were desperately short of a striker, the arrival of Scepovic, then Guidetti was cause for celebration.  Neither brought much to the club, we would have been better, with more money available for the next window, if we’d prioritised Leigh and given chances to a youth player.

If Celtic choose to sell Leigh this summer, it will not be for £1m.  He’s worth much more than that, probably more than Leeds United can afford.  He’s under contract, first choice and scoring goals.  But Celtic will also put a great deal of effort into recruiting a striker in the coming weeks.

There are no guarantees Leigh will get an extended run in the team next season.  Celtic should sell players at peak value, when they have reached the point they are no longer developing, before they become an overhang on resources.  Leigh is probably at peak value, and unlikely to further develop, but he’s no overhang.  That scenario won’t happen until a couple of new pretenders have proven they are better fits than Balde, Pukki, Scepovic and Guidetti.

Keep an eye on Frank McGarvey’s 1985 Scottish Cup Final shirt, which is being auctioned to benefit Maryhill Food Bank.  It closes just before 8pm tonight.

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  1. If Hibs cant beat that shower of crap,they should chuck it.Absolute garbage.Zaliukas?WTF.

     

    Wee Queens had them on the ropes the last 15 minutes.

     

    Step up Scott Allen.I wanted Stubbsy to stuff them anyway.

  2. I don’t know james. An ex player here recently suggested a reduction in team numbers from 15 to 13. Plus every kick-out should have to land outside the 45 metre line. They must trial some changes at the moment its just a horrible brawl, all pulling and dragging. Anyhow I’m offf ooot. God Bless All.

  3. I have a wee application on my phone called “LiveScore”. It started off by just showing scores some years back, but now has expanded to live commentary and many useful stats covering all European games.

     

     

    One of the stats that I find fascinating is the attendance of games, bearing in mind again these are published from all across Europe.

     

     

    What strikes me is just how huge a club Celtic are. Even in this age of supposed waning attendances at Celtic Park, we are on many match days, among the top few in support inside stadiums anywhere.

     

     

    I can’t agree with your point about Leigh Griffiths having reached his potential Paul. I’d also be surprised if Ronny punted him. I think he has another season in him to hone his skills. He is a late bloomer, with oodles of talent. I’m hopeful of seeing more of this from him over 2015/16.

  4. Burgas Hoops on

    Hibs i’ll need pampers travelling down to asbestosdome on wednesday, pure bottlers and wed will show again imho.

  5. saltires en sevilla on

    Hibs long lay-off might not be such a big advantage. 2 1/2 weeks without a competitive game could lead to some ring- rustiness.

     

     

    Sevco have all the momentum, according to those knowledgeable dudes on Beeb

     

     

    As we clearly saw today…

  6. Gutted for Queens, I know a couple of their players and they will be totally sick at that result , good lads who can step up to SPL no problem. I hope it happens for them.

  7. Right Barca on now…..real football two games with all at stake . Funny how this unbalance d league can keep us interested right up till the death. I expect this to go till next Sunday. Visca Barca! Visca Catalunya!

  8. The Sevco cheats one step closer to a toilet smashing spree once again.

     

     

    Should it happen, I won’t be anywhere near Celtic TV, or CQN for days.

  9. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    Sorry if it’s been posted already.

     

    Fellas on other Celtic sites claiming the departure of John Park is imminent.

  10. I expected them to get through – and in one way they deserve to.

     

     

    I’m no great fan of play offs after a league season. I can just about see the logic to second in the league playing second bottom in the league above or the so called pyramid play off. But why should a club have to play a team from lower down in its own division again? Surely coming out ahead over the full league season should be enough.

  11. the glorious balance sheet on

    Sevco`s record in their last 4 matches – 1 win, 3 draws

     

     

    Yet the BBC nuggets claim that the momentum is with Sevco. Aye, right you are.

  12. I can see Hibs winning at Ibrox.

     

     

    But then again, they won last season’s play-off final first leg at Hamilton 1-0 and lost 0-2 at Easter Road to go down.

  13. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    If, as I suspect, Hibs beat Sevco over the two games, will Scott McDonald`s appeal be upheld ?

     

     

     

    JJ

  14. Careful With That Tax, Moonbeams on

    tallybhoy

     

    17:30 on 17 May, 2015

     

    Just back after a swim and some refreshments.

     

    30 degrees.

     

    The temperature, not the refreshments.

     

    Mon the Hibs!

     

    HH!!

     

     

    ……

     

     

    Rub it in ..

     

     

    Balmy 9 degrees in costa del Rothesay .. Refreshingly relentless downpour :(

  15. Leigh Griffiths

     

     

    A player and person who some would say is almost unrecognizable from early in the season.

     

     

    In a recent interview (on Celtic TV but general media session) he was asked about how he used to behave. He said “I was just daft.”

     

     

    The influence of his coaches and the culture at Celtic has been one of the big factors in that turn-round, Leigh himself being the other.

     

     

    As a player, he scores goals and he sets up goals, works hard and rarely gets injured.

     

     

    Setting KC with a wonderful little ball to feed Scott Brown who swept it into the net against Dundee at CP.

     

     

    Or his beautiful lay off to Darnell Fisher for that chance in the first half at Pittodrie.

     

     

    He now scores goals with left and right feet, not to mention the occasional header like the first goal against Dundee at CP.

     

     

    He travels into Lennoxtown with Scott Brown every day (Broonie drives) and I suspect that some of the Broonie factor has also rubbed off on him during that time together. It was no surprise that they were arms round one another singing championees with the Celtic fans at the end of the Aberdeen game.

     

     

    Big thing that impressed me when he was interviewed was that he gets it now – he understands what he was doing wrong before and has eliminated that pretty much so that he now focuses on his job.

     

     

    Any move now would be high risk for him.

     

     

    Hope he stays cos I think he will score goals for us in the CL qualies.

     

     

    HH

  16. I will be up for a bevvy in the KSC club on Wednesday,Coatbridge to watch the game.

     

    Anybody in the area up for it?.

  17. foghorn leghorn on

    San Diego Bhoy

     

    17:53 on

     

    17 May, 2015

     

     

    I have a wee application on my phone called “LiveScore”. It started off by just showing scores some years back, but now has expanded to live commentary and many useful stats covering all European games.

     

     

    One of the stats that I find fascinating is the attendance of games, bearing in mind again these are published from all across Europe.

     

     

    What strikes me is just how huge a club Celtic are. Even in this age of supposed waning attendances at Celtic Park, we are on many match days, among the top few in support inside stadiums anywhere.

     

    ———————————-

     

     

    no we arent

     

     

    many of the games in the last few seasons where the attendance is given as 45,000 for example, when you actually see the crowd inside the ground, you are lucky if there’s 25,000 there

     

     

    huge club, yes

     

     

    up there with the top attendances in europe, nope.

  18. angelgabriel on

    San Diego bhoy.17.53

     

    In total agreement regarding Leigh Griffiths.

     

    Ronny stated recently that LG has worked hard to improve his game.

     

    A good fitba player with a similar attitude doesn’t peak at 25years old.

     

    2 footed, not afraid to shoot, good workrate, and reasonable in the air.

     

    What’s not to like ?

  19. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    Tom

     

    Hamilton, then, were a far better side than Sevco are now.

     

     

    JJ

  20. foghorn leghorn on

    and there’s sky giving todays result at asbestosdome as a ‘Scottish Premiership Result’

     

     

    no it wasnt

     

     

    how can they get such an obvious fact wrong

  21. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    Having wasted a small fortune of late trying to sign a striker …..why would we sell LG just to turn a profit …so we can waste it trying to sign a striker to do what LG is doing already

     

     

    Turning a profit a la Wanyama , Forster is all well and good …wasting the proceeds on the likes of Boeriggter, Pukki, Balde et al negates the advantage

  22. foghorn leghorn

     

     

    and there’s sky giving todays result at asbestosdome as a ‘Scottish Premiership Result’

     

     

    no it wasnt

     

     

    how can they get such an obvious fact wrong

     

    —————-

     

    Strange cos across the ticker they’ve had it Championship Play Off all week.

  23. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Nipped up to the bookies and a few sevconians congratulating each other they drew 1-1 with QotS

     

     

    Although they didn’t like my contented smirk

     

     

    Comedy gold

  24. Good games on Sky just now.

     

    Watching Athletico v Barca.

     

    End to end.

     

    3 points for the league for Messi and co.

  25. Neustadt-Braw on

    ooooooooooooooooooo Allohah score …..Big Rab wasnae at fault though….

     

     

     

    braw

  26. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    foghorn leghorn said:

     

    “you are lucky if there’s 25,000 there”

     

     

    I have been to every Home game this season. I do not believe another 35,000 could have been accommodated at many of those games,

     

     

    JJ

     

     

    PS I do agree that the regularly quoted 45,000 is wrong but so is the 25,000.

  27. Careful With That Tax, Moonbeams on

    Good auld Murdoch’s empire ..

     

     

    Anyone who subscribes to his propaganda ..

     

     

    Should have a long hard think ..

     

     

    Mon the Hibs :)

  28. saltires en sevilla on

    Rwe

     

     

    Good stuff on Leigh

     

     

    Looks lean & focused and that wee gallus attitude contributes to overall package.

     

     

    His headed goals give me a huge sense of encouragement for the season ahead

  29. Tom

     

     

    I think it was even worse Hibs won 2-0 at Accies

     

    then lost 3-0 at home AET

     

     

     

     

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

     

     

     

    Tom McLaughlin

     

    18:09 on

     

    17 May, 2015

     

    I can see Hibs winning at Ibrox.

     

     

    But then again, they won last season’s play-off final first leg at Hamilton 1-0 and lost 0-2 at Easter Road to go down.

  30. What is the Stars on

    Dont know whether its been mentioned but today 17 May is the 41st anniversary of the Dublin Monaghan bombings.These caused the single greatest loss of life in the recent tragic “northern ireland troubles” (until they were tragically surpassed for that dubious record by the Omagh bomb which claimed 29 lives) 27 died in Dublin that day and 7 in Monaghan

     

    The 3 Dublin bombs exploded at rush hour 5.30 Friday evening at strategic streets (for bus and train routes)

     

    They were planted by loyalist paramiltaries aided,abetted and trained by British security forces.No one has been charged with what was the greatest mass murders in the history of the Irish Republic (indeed sucessive governments have done there best to ignore the events of that day because of the obvious elephant in the room)

     

    Anyway sorry to depress the mood but spare a thought for those poor souls who lost their lives that day in an event described by that “charming” individual David Ervine as “returning the serve”

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