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Leigh Griffiths

Discussion in 'Ex Players' started by Vertie Auld, Jan 31, 2014.

Discuss Leigh Griffiths in the Ex Players area at TalkCeltic.net.

  1. JC Anton Get yer, hats, scarfs badges & tapes

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    Wee goal will do wonders.
     
  2. Mr. Slippyfist

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    He's one of our own.

    Love this wee guy, think he's gonna have an absolute stormer this season.
     
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  3. Henrik 07 Gold Member Gold Member

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  4. Henrik 07 Gold Member Gold Member

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  5. Henrik 07 Gold Member Gold Member

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    Celtic ace Leigh Griffiths has lifted the lid on his mysterious seven months out of the game as he revealed he was battling “major depression”.

    The 28-year-old hailed former Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers for insisting he step away from football to recover and admitted he could have have done himself "serious harm".

    Griffiths spent more than a year in the depths of despair but he is finally ready to talk. And the Celtic star wants to draw a line under a dark chapter and get his life and football career back.

    The striker opened his heart on the subject and admitted he was desperate to play through the mental and physical torment but it was former boss Rodgers who ordered him to take time out – and he thanks his old gaffer for it.

    Griffiths is also grateful to Rodgers’ successor Neil Lennon – who has battled his own demons – for sticking by him and getting him back out on the pitch.


    Forty-five minutes and a tap-in goal in pre-season friendly against Austrian minnows Pinkafeld might have been no big deal to the Scotland ace in the past but Wednesday night’s return meant the world to the striker as he took his first huge step back after 18 months of despair.

    His troubles came to a head last December but, speaking from Celtic’s pre-season camp in Stegersbach, Austria, Griffiths admitted it was time to talk.

    He said: “It was major depression. People might say, ‘what’s he got to be depressed about’, but there are stressful times and it wasn’t the best of times for me.

    “Other people are going through it as well and it’s the same for anybody, if you are going through depression then you need to open up and speak to people.

    “There are people who can help. It is not just my football life. I’ve got kids to look after and family to look after. It is a long life after football and I had to make sure I was right.”

    Griffiths took a step out of football in December and he revealed although it wasn’t his decision, it was the right one.

    The likable frontman was determined to turn up for duty each day but in the end he admitted it was doing more harm than good.

    Griffiths said: “I did try to battle through it. I felt I had to. It’s my job. I can’t just phone up one day and say I’m not training.


    But that’s why I was grateful to the manager. He saw it and gave me the time off I needed.

    “Coming into work was probably a relief for me. It’s a bit personal but it was about my mental health. My mental health wasn’t right. A lot of things were playing on my mind.

    “So I just had to step away from football at that time. It has not been there for most of my life. It had been there for maybe a year, a year-and-a-half. It started off slow but then it started to snowball towards the end.

    “The weeks and months started to take their toll and I think Brendan could see that.

    “So he spoke to me and he told the club, ‘We need to give this guy time off and make sure he is right.’

    “I never asked for time off. It was Brendan who said I needed to get my mind right. So I have to thank him for that because if I had kept playing I would have done myself serious harm.

    “So I have taken time off. It has been longer than I expected.

    “But I am just glad to be back pulling the Celtic shirt back on again and getting the minutes under my belt. I’m looking forward now.

    “I’m ready now to hit the heights I knew two or three seasons ago.


    “It was longer than I expected but I am grateful to Brendan and the club for what they did for me. I am ready to come back now and I’m ready to rock.”

    Griffiths is on the road back but it has been a bumpy path and he has needed support from everyone around him.

    He said: “During the time I had off I had to speak to a lot of people and I had a lot of stuff to go through. I have to thank my friends and family – if it wasn’t for them I’d still be struggling.

    “They stuck with me, just like Celtic have as well. The gaffer has come in and given me the challenge to go again.

    “I want to repay him and repay the club and fans for all they have done for me.

    “Physically and mentally, it has not been a cake walk. But for the past couple of months, I have been working extremely hard, doing double sessions every day, and I have been dying to get back on the pitch.

    “I treated it like a long-term injury. When that happens it’s often a mental thing and you try to come back stronger. The days go by and slowly but surely you start to get back


    I made the first day of pre-season and haven’t missed a bit of it. Long may that continue.”

    The hitman could not have handpicked two better managers to steer him through the crisis. Rodgers had an almost parental responsibility for his players while Lennon has been candid about his own fight with mental illness and has been instrumental in getting Griffiths to a point where there is light at the end of the tunnel again.

    He said: “I think what the gaffer has come through is 10 times worse than I have.

    “But if I ever need someone to speak to he’ll always be there on the end of the phone or if I go to his office.

    “I’m just trying to think of the positives, being back on the pitch and trying to help the boys.

    “I want to get back to help in a big European qualifying campaign.”
     
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  6. Seán Mac D Gold Member Gold Member

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    Good to hear him speak about being in a better place and his gratitude to the club for their help and patience.

    I'd love nothing more than the wee man to come back better than ever and bang in 30 goals next season. Ram it down the throats of every person that revelled in your struggle :50:
     
  7. johnnybhoy777

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    Hate Rodgers, dont like the way he commented on those bullshit horse racing pictures either but Leigh speaks highly of him in this situation so far enough
     
  8. JML67 Gold Member Gold Member

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    Buzzing to see him back amongst it. Hope he hits his best form again, even having him there fit and raring will at the very least keep Edouard on his toes. Think how many games last season we could've been doing with Griff coming off the bench to terrorise tired defenders.
     
  9. RiquelmeCSC

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    Probably not a popular opinion but I think Rodgers done that more for himself than for Leigh. Don’t think Rodgers rated Leigh and probably saw this is a good chance to get him out the squad without * off the fans. However that’s not saying that I don’t think Rodgers didn’t care about Leigh’s well-being I just feel it wasn’t all good intentions.
     
  10. Callum McGregor The Captain Gold Member

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    Leigh is to be admired for battling through his demons. Hope his health is in a better place, now.
     
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  11. Murph-E

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    Rodgers fancied Dembele and Edouard over Griffiths, but he still gave Griffiths a new 4 year contract during his time as manager, and gave him just under 40 appearances in each of his 2 full seasons as manager.
     
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  12. Mr Shelby Moderator Moderator Gold Member

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    Hopefully he gets back and firing.

    Should be at his prime. 28.
     
  13. RiquelmeCSC

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    That’s a very good point.
     
  14. johnnybhoy777

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    Rat would have played him more often if he had been a) inured less and b) fitter when he was available
     
  15. Slaw Gold Member Gold Member

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    Might actually have benefitted him physically to have some time off. Any little niggles etc should have had time to clear up.
     
  16. Henrik 07 Gold Member Gold Member

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  17. The Thumb

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    2 in 2. Looks sharp, after such a long layoff..
    Some decent link up with Bayo.
     
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  18. TheHappyLoss

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    We love you wee man , great to see you back and smiling
     
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  19. McChiellini..

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    Just gives us something else..

    Back scoring tap ins and goals from closing down the keeper..

    Goals we rarely saw last season..

    Looking very sharp..
     
  20. Just Kieran Gold Member Gold Member

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    Great to see him back. Made an * of a sitter but got his goal.