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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. FranceCelt

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    I don't know anything about the situation, but I do know that social media is not the place to be if you have mental health issues.
     
  2. DonnyCelt

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    For his sake I hope there is mate. Would hate to see it end like this
     
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  3. Venomspawn82

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    I see your point, you're right. That's exactly what happened.
     
  4. Dan Breen

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    We just need to have him firing on all cylinders when season starts, and these are the games that would have got him up to speed. So he misses the boat and is now having to play catch up.
    He has had a lot of support over the past year or so, from Celtic family but there comes a time when he needs to help himself.
    Just hope he screws the head, and gets himself fit, guy will then be a * of an option with games coming thick and fast.
    And stay ta * off social media.
     
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  5. scootz

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    I always think it's interesting to compare the sexes / sports in these situations.

    Coach thinks that male footballer is (allegedly) out of shape - player gets called out on it - no one bats an eyelid - coach is right.... player is a professional sportsman... he should be in shape.

    Coach thinks that female gymnast is (allegedly) out of shape - gymnast gets called out on it - world loses its * - coach is a misogynist, bully and a body-shamer.
     
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  6. celtic warrior

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    One is a 29 year old professional footballer the other is typically a teenager who is being forced to do all sorts of things with their body whilst running on empty, broken bones etc...

    I get what your saying but the difference, the dynamics, everything really is just totally different in a lot of senses, it will be all over the media as the gymnasts we are hearing about are young girls, children even.
     
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  7. Just Kieran Gold Member Gold Member

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    I don't hide my admiration for Griffiths as a player, and was thrilled to see him coming back into the fold last season and contributing. You could see what it meant to him to be back out there, scoring and being an important part of the team.

    I also completely empathise regarding his mental health. It can be challenging to maintain fitness at the best of times, but if you're struggling during lockdown I imagine it will have been especially hard. For the manager to speak as strongly as he did is a bit of a worry, but maybe he needs the tough love now. He was wrapped in cotton wool last season and gently re-introduced. Any rumours of him leaving were met with Lennon swatting them away and re-iterating how important he felt Griff was/could be.

    I do agree re the social media aspect. Liking tweets (often from young women) and arguing with fans (the kebab thing) isn't really great. Either stay off it, or use it in a more professional way. I understand it's a personal account, but you're representing yourself and the club. There'll be plenty of time to argue with people when you've retired.

    Hope he heeds the warning and gets himself in shape ASAP. When on his game, he's a proven scorer and we'll need all our best players fit and available in what could be an historic year for us.
     
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  8. scootz

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    Perhaps the discussion should start long before we allow youngsters to enter the world of elite level athletics? There's a huge difference between doing roly-poly's for the fun of it in your local gym-hall with your mates, and competing to succeed on an international level. Absolute commitment is required to be the best, so if Athlete X' isn't prepared to make that comitment then perhaps they should be looking at another path? Similarly, their parents have to carry some responsibility for looking after their best interests.

    Elite level athletics is a brutal business.
     
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  9. seanm

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    hope griff wins us 10iar. mental health is the same as any addiction one day at a time.griff gives 100% when playing . cant ask more of the boy. now he would still score a shitful of goals for us. good luck wee man . HH
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 18, 2020
  10. King of Kings

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    That’s what I’m saying - mental health affect everything. In fact the only thing that really affects any person characteristics is in the mind. That doesn’t necessarily mean a lazy person has a mental health issue, and that’s what I prefer to steer away from.

    It isn’t up to Lennon or Brown to decide it’s not a mental health issue, but it isn’t up to anyone here either to decide it is. Ultimately Griff has been a guy who’s lacked discipline in terms of taking personal responsibility for his condition for his entire professional career. This isn’t new.

    Basically I’m very, very wary of describing this as a mental health issue. It feels like it devalues how significant that problem can be by throwing it out there in all circumstances.
     
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  11. Marty McFly Whoa, this is heavy

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    When you say the world loses its *, the world, and I, lost our * over Larry Nassar, which was way more than bullying and bodyshaming.

    If you mean the latest British gymnastics stuff, are you seriously comparing Griffith's situation to young gymnasts being beaten, starved and emotionally and mentally abused in their early teenage years?
     
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  12. scootz

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    Larry Nassar was a monster - different kettle of * completely - not comparable... and completely indefensible!

    I'm referring to the British gymnastic scandal. Not saying the circumstances surrounding Griffith / the Downie sisters are at the same level, but there's a discussion to be had about how males and females are treated differently in sport.

    If you want to be the VERY best at gymnastics then every ounce of weight counts, and you have to maximise your training whilst you are in the competitive age bracket (up to about 20 years old for gymnasts). This means that kids will have to be trained brutally hard - if they want to be the very best! The Downie sisters sought to be in the elite bracket.

    These kids need to be made aware that the journey that they are about to embark on could be a genuinely hellish one. Personally I wouldn't allow my child to enter such an environment unless they made it very clear to me that it was what they absolutely wanted to do, that they understood what it could involve, that I felt they were capable of dealing with the mental and physical strain, and that I felt I could give them all the support they would need to get through it. I'd still struggle with the concept, and I'd likely clash with their trainers on a daily basis.

    Yes, Griffith is a grown man, but the same criticisms / standards / pressures are levelled at young lads at the elite end of the youth football game. At the elite end of the youth boxing game. At the elite end of the youth cycling game. Youth swimming game, etc. etc. etc.

    I don't really know where I'm going with this. Possibly (probably!) just rambling *, but I feel there are different standards applied to male and female athletes, and I can't decide if that's unacceptable, or understandable.
     
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2020
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  13. nudge1086 Gold Member

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    I think LG has * himself here, the club had supported him massively and he has made himself look amateurish by coming back unfit.

    Don't blame Lenny for being raging.
     
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2020
  14. Noskeil

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    @scoots

    I think you’ve made a few valid points there, elite sports at every stage, athletes are put under enormous pressures and demands. What comes from this success, wealth and fame, throw that to any young male or female that is bound to put unimaginable stresses on you. The human psyche can only deal with that in certain amounts, family, friends and management team often help with that, but if there is underlying issues things that are happening or happened in their lives. Divorce, parents separating, relationships, abuse, these elite athletes come from some serious * up *, like some of you guys may have been, all this adds to the elite world of sport!

    If you think of the pressures of any of the kids (14-20) coming through Celtic or any top flight team, from day one you the pressure to be consistent, fit, healthy, succeed etc, then there is the clubs valuation on them, these prices are put on them (Fati for example something like 600 million) that alone would put astronomical pressure on a 17 year old kid. Then from your first game you having fans from both home and away screaming at you be it praise or abuse, these pressures take their toll on the brain, it’s only human for the strongest of minds not to cope at some point.

    This asks the question should clubs now be looking at hiring trained professionals full time to actually help these players? Because it’s sad to say out of the 10s of thousands of players in world football, Leigh Griffiths is the only player suffering with mental issues?
     
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2020
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  15. MacEwan Himmy Butler Gold Member

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    I’m wary too. I’m just wary that it could be one and the club needs to be the same, so until it fully plays out I’ll not speculate.

    The club must be confident if they are willing to speak publicly and put a spotlight on him like I said.
     
  16. stew37

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    John Hartson (@johnhartson10) Tweeted:
    This might upset a few people but I’ve always looked at things in a way we can help people. LG yes has let his manager down and yes has let himself down but think for a minute how LG is feeling right now. Lonely, Anxious, depressed, sad, hope he bounces back from this.
     
  17. Callum McGregor The Captain Gold Member

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    John is right, but it doesn’t disregard Lennon’s criticism of Griffiths. Griffiths is the one who’s made a mistake and only he can rectify it.
     
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  18. celtic warrior

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    Either way, it's nothing to do with Leigh's situation and the comparisons are pointless.

    He's a grown *, been given the help and support he's needed, the break he's needed, pretty much everything he's needed he's got to help get him back to his best.

    In return, as is the case in any profession around the world your employer then expects you to put a certain level of effort into the job upon your return once you've felt ready to resume your role because at the end of the day they have a business to run and other staff to also manage and work with that require equal levels of attention and assistance.

    He's not done what has been asked, he's returned in worse shape then when he left and as a result, given he is/was key to team, screwed up Lennon's original plans for how he wanted to have the team line up for the new season. Of course Lennon would have other plans but I've no doubt he had Eddie and Leigh as his plan A. So he's rightly * off that his key player has returned in the state that has.

    Debate all we want about what is said and where its said regarding Lennon dressing him down, Leigh at the end of the day is the only one responsible for his fitness, he has to put the work in, no one can do it for him. He clearly hasn't and mental health issues aside this isn't the first time in his career his professionalism has been called out.

    He needs to be honest with himself about what he wants in life, if he wants a cushy life and earn a living his talents make him highly worthy of then he needs to wise up and get fit and stop acting billy big balls.
     
  19. stew37

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    Think what John says is spot on. No-one knows what's going on behind closed doors or in Leigh's head. At the end of it all, I just hope he can return stronger, but if football has to take a backseat for him indefinitely, maybe that's what will need to happen.
     
  20. Gyp Rosetti Gold Member

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    He needs to get the * off social media, it’s doing no good putting these quotes up along with daft videos. The club can only do so much Leigh needs to sort things on his side that he is doing wrong, which is why we are discussing this at present.