Leigh Griffiths

Forgive me for rolling my eyes.

 

Same.

It's always the same when a player is out for a period, but with the overall mood around the club, it's the last thing we want to hear.

"Like a new signing ... Money saved"

Sent from my F8331 using Tapatalk

 

I love wee Griff and I hope he comes back and scores a barrow load.

 

‘Like a new signing’ HH

Celtic transfer bingo is up and running



“It will be like a new signing,” said Lennon. “He’ll need to get up to speed with his conditioning. He’s working hard and we’ll see where he is football wise.

“We could have a £6 million striker on our hands for nothing. He’s missed the last 18 months and he’ll need to knuckle down, but he’ll have our full support.”

 

There's nothing wrong with saying that, obviously just trying to be positive about the guy when asked by the media, he's been away that long I'm actually buzzing to see him back, why do some of you always have to turn everything into a negative?

Lennon's already been quoted as saying he wants to bring in another striker, he wasn't talking about Griff coming back when he said that.

 

For anyone that's not fluent in Lawwellese, 'it/he will be like a new signing' translates to 'Hoorah! Back in the drawer for you Mr Cheque-book'

 

My main issue is this ‘like a new signing’ PR horseshit we’re being fed by our Tory board time and time again.

However I also agree with a lot of this RE Griffiths:

 

"Like a new signing" is horrendous. He is not a new signing. He appeared numerous times last season. There are other players who missed as much and more time than him.

That's zero on Griffiths, how good he is/will be btw. Describing someone who has been here for 6 years and made 20 appearances last year alone as "like a new signing" is very worrying in regards to our transfer ambitions.

 

Griff's is a decent enough striker bit he can be poor and frustrating aswell if I remember correctly. I want to see him back busting the net but we definitely need another striker in this summer.

Leigh comes back and doesn't score, people will be saying ack sure give him time because he's in recovery. Balls to that, if he can't produce the goods then offski he can go imo. We have a 9IAR to be won this year and IMHO, we can't be carrying anyone. Especially someone with an illness! To put things into perspective, this is a very important part of our history next season is and we won't get this chance ever again.

Give him a run out pre-season and if there's no sign of improvement then offski he goes. There is no room for error this season! The Huns will be fired up for it I strongly believe and if last season is anything to go by with decisions going there way, then they will be getting more points than actually deserved. Next season it's going down to the wire so we'll need all our strikers firing on all cylinders!

 

I can understand why Lennon maybe sees it that way as he hasn't had the benefit of Griffiths as an option since he returned but for us as supporters that statement is normally preemptive of a lack of investment.

Lennon is an intelligent guy, surely he understands a statement like that would go down like a lead balloon on the back of Lawwell inferring that the squad doesn't need a major overhaul and the leaking of that less than impressive transfer list.

That's before even considering the pressure that it potentially puts on Griffiths by expecting him to hit the ground running.

Had the comment been made at another time eg. during a season then the reaction could be different but for me it was unwise.

 

Was just about to mention the pressure he will be under

Going to be a massive test for Griff when he returns

 

'Decent enough striker'? Those two goals against England say otherwise.

 

We're all hoping he comes back fit, healthy and banging in the goals but given what he's went though it's probably not helpful to hype up his return.

 

Actually looking forward to seeing him back, as everyone else is saying, this is no slate on Griff himself.

Wasn't biggest fan when he first came here, but he knuckled down and he has been superb for us. New contract etc was well deserved and I am proud we backed him properly during his time off. Excited to see him back in the squad and hopefully see him score 25+ next year as well.

But again, to agree with everyone else, it is a poor way of coming out with it and yet another example of the way we do things. We have all been through this hundreds of times the past 20 years now, like a new signing, rating him as £6million next to Edouard at £9million, along with Bayo at £2million and the idea of Lennon wanting a new striker goes out the window.

Unless one of them is to go.... which is another worry.

 

Lennon knows him well and is capable of getting the best out of him, if talking him up is the right thing to do to build his confidence then I trust him to manage that.

 

I think alot of celtic fans are forgetting how good a player he is, especially domestically. He's played about 200 games and scored over 100 goals. Nobody is saying he's in the same class as Edouard or Dembele but imo he's still miles ahead of anyone else in the league including that fruitcake Morelos. IF the wee man can get his head together then I think he can play a major part in getting to 10IAR.

 

'Decent enough striker'. When Griff is fit and on form, he's undeniably one of our best players. A goal threat from all ranges.

Hopefully now under Lennon, Édouard and Griff can finally form a attacking partnership.

 

Can't wait to see him back fully fit.

His first goal back is going to get some reaction from the fans.

Do feel at some moments we've missed his buzzing about and general energy.

 

Yes, decent enough. If he was an outstanding striker which we deserve then he wouldn't have been sitting on the bench those games he did. Plus, he wasn't always on form when he was on. In saying that, I hope he conquers his demons and bangs in 30+ this season coming which will go along way to getting is the 9IAR!

 

2 years ago. He's scored 19 goals in 59 games since then. I'd say decent is exactly what he is. He'll score a fair amount in the league, but we need better if we want to improve in Europe. Players like Eddy and Dembele should be the standard we are looking for.

He does a job and there's no doubt when he's on his game he can be deadly. But I really hope we're not going to see him become a feature of the starting XI next season.