Leigh Griffiths

Aye, I seen him up at Cove and he didn't stick out to me as a guy that played for Celtic for years

 

Leigh Griffiths will leave Falkirk at the end of the season.

The ex-Celtic star joined the club upon the expiry of his Hoops contract.




However, he only managed to find the net twice in 13 games for the League One club.

That followed an unsuccessful loan spell at Dundee.

The Bairns confirmed he will leave alongside nine other players.

A statement read: "The club wishes to thank each player for their service and wishes them the very best for the future.




The following stars will depart: Robbie Mutch, Paul Dixon, Aaron-Taylor Sinclair, Cammy Williamson, Mackenzie Lemon, Gary Miller, Charlie Telfer, Ben Weekes, Samuel Ompreon, Leigh Griffiths.

 

I know he * everything up himself but still a shame to see a guy that had so much talent to end up in the scrap head due to his own stupidity.

 

He got the chance to do something that the majority of us can only dream about doing - playing for Celtic and he fecked it up big time. Yes, it's a shame and no doubt he will regret his actions in the years to come. I will however have fond memories of him tying the Celtic scarf around the post at ipox after we humped them again and the goals he scored for us

 

Leigh Griffiths insists he’s discovered the eye of the tiger as he bids to get his career back on track. A summer of gym sessions have taken the 31-year-old back to the fighting weight which saw him rattle in 40 goals for the Hoops back in their 2015-16 season.

Griffiths spent the end of the last campaign at Falkirk after ending an eight year spell at Parkhead back in February but he insists a strict six days a week boxing regime has him feeling fight ready. He said: “It’s a difficult time just now as I see clubs going back for pre-season and wonder when is it going to be my turn?




I’m not going to lie, it gets lonely. It knocks my confidence not having my future sorted but people such as Martin Clifford at the boxing gym have been brilliant at keeping my head above water. Six days a week I’m in training and all of this work will come to the fore when I get back onto the pitch.


I’m ready to go but when is that chance going to come, is it going to come? Some of the sessions Martin puts on are absolutely brutal. I don’t envy any boxer who does this work to prepare for a fight as it’s so intense. Boxers are a different breed and footballers get it easy compared to them.

“I wish I’d done this type of training earlier in my career and if I’d done more in the off-season I wouldn’t be in this position. I’m now a free agent and hopefully I’ll be back scoring goals shortly.


I’ve lost 5 kilos so far but I’ve never been heavy even if other people would disagree with that and I still have a bit to go as I want to lose another two kilos. My best weight is 73 kilos, when I had my best scoring season at Celtic I was around 72-73 kilos.


Griffiths insists his Celtic goal record has provided a proud and lasting legacy from his time at the Hoops.


He said: “People can hate me or not hate me but what they can’t take away is where I sit in the all-time scoring chart at Celtic which is 18th or 19th. That’s something I will have forever but I still have plenty more goals and targets ahead of me.

 

The * could be training like Forrest Gump running the length of the america and he'd still show little to no effort in applying himself in games.
Games a bogey

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Seen him on a flight to Nicosia earlier.

Could definitely see that happening.

 

Feeling lonely....

Not to worry schools finish this week and he can text some wee lassie to keep him company.

* weirdo

 

Leigh Griffiths insists James Forrest will remain Celtic’s wing king regardless of whether Jota commits his future to the club. The former Hoops striker believes his old team-mate is still the best service provider at Parkhead and can steal the thunder from the Portuguese star.

Jota has yet to sign a permanent deal from Benfica after stealing the hearts of Hoops fans last season. Forrest overcame an injury-plagued campaign to make a late impact for Ange Postecoglou ’s side and Griffiths rates him as the best he has played with.



He said: “I don’t think the Celtic fans should be panicking over the delay in Jota signing on for next season. James is the main man at the club in the wide areas. Jota had a brilliant season and the fans love him – but James has done it season after season and can be the key player again in the coming campaign.


Everyone knows he’s had his injuries but I don’t think there’s a player who works as hard behind the scenes as Jamesie. He needs to stay injury free but when you see him in training and in full flow he’s incredible. I’m sure boys like Scott Brown and Callum McGregor would back me up when we are asked who is the best player at Celtic?


“Most of his team-mates will say it’s James Forrest. He does things in training that make you stand back and go, ‘Wow.’ I know James well and he’ll be wanting to shut a few people up as he’s been knocked time after time and just come roaring back.

“Ask any Celtic player who wows them in training and James will always be on the tip of their tongue.”

Griffiths also believes Forrest doesn’t get the true credit for his football intelligence and he points to the 30-year-old’s enduring relationship with Celtic under a host of managers as proof positive of how highly the wide man is regarded by managers.




He said: “Look at his goal against Livingston last season. It was crucial and it said everything about how intelligent a footballer he is. He has so much skill and can score goals with both feet.

“He’s close to the 100 goal mark for Celtic and that would be a massive landmark for him to get through. He’s also the most decorated Celtic player there is – you just have to look at that and say it’s an achievement in itself.




That’s why he has played under so many managers as they all know exactly what he brings to the team. He has done it all his career. I remember playing alongside him for Scotland’s Under-21s over in Holland. James ripped them apart, he was sensational that night and we won 2-1. He has been torturing defenders ever since.”




It’s a sign of the value that Forrest has brought to the Hoops for over a decade that he remains an integral part of Postecoglou’s plans but it’s no surprise to Griff. He said: “You can’t get the ball off of him, it’s as though the ball is glued to his foot. He’s a joy to play with. When I was in the team with him I would leave James the space to go and show what he could do.

“He would burst past players as he’s explosive from a standing start and he has this trick he does with the outside of his
foot – I still don’t know how he does it. I’ve never seen any other player do it, he just gets the ball on the outside of his foot and changes direction, it’s unbelievable.


He often cuts inside and bends in a shot with the outside of his foot and sometimes you just need to stand back and admire it. I’ve played in games against him and thought, ‘What is the point of trying to get close to tackle him ? He’ll just tie you in knots.’




“I benefited from playing with him as he would play a killer ball or cross time after time and I’ve no doubt he played a huge part in my goal ratio at Celtic over the years. If you made the right run then he’d find you so he’s a main provider as well as a huge goal threat.”

Griffiths is still in touch with his old boss and former team-mates and is adamant he’ll always hold Celtic close to his heart. The striker, who was released by the Hoops in January, said: “I still keep in touch with a lot of the boys. I text Ange whenever Celtic have a big game and he always replies so that’s a good sign.

“My relationship with the club is good, I still go and watch them as a fan and I’m very friendly with the kitman so there’s still plenty of contact. I had eight unbelievable years there and it was so important to me not to leave on bad terms.”

 

Sorry Grif but stats don't lie.

 

Of course Griffiths is the opinion to listen to here. Because he has played extensively with both players.

Oh wait...

Grif was sent on loan to Dundee literally the day before Jota was signed on loan from Benfica, so the 2 never would've even crossed paths at that point, and barely a week at the club together in early February after Grif's Dundee loan was terminated and was subsequently sent out to Falkirk on another loan. So, who knows if they actually ever interacted, let alone a training session together.

So LG's opinion (based on his own experiences on this matter) is no better informed as what literally any other supporter's is on this matter, and as @honda said, stats don't lie.

Jota was very much a key figure for us last season and has established a good understanding with Kyogo et al, whilst Forrest only managed to play a bit part in the season and would seem that he will be hard pressed to re-establish a regular first team starting place ahead of Maeda, Abada and (fingers crossed) Jota when he arrives back at Lennoxtown.

Maybe Grif is trying to establish his post playing career credentials as the next Frank McAvennie.

 

Go away Griffiths.

 

Don't mind his comments on Forrest, just bigging up his pal and obviously we all hope Forrest can recapture some of his old form, he deserves it.

Saying that he's never been heavy and in the same breath saying he's lost 5 kg with 2 more to go, is pretty contradictory. Pretty sure being a stone over your peak fitness qualifies as being overweight (in football terms), Leigh.

 

He'll have so many regrets if he grows up..

A tiny part of me feels a bit sorry for him and then I remember what he done and just think * him..

 

* it is a phrase that comes to mind.

 

If is the word.

Ever see Derek Riordans Open Goal interview? That *’s not grown up yet either. Everybody elses thought.

Dunno *’s the problem with Leith, Riordan, Griffiths and Gary O’Connor - the 3 biggest wastes of potential I’ve seen in Scotland.

Infact, Tony Watt the top of that as the outlier. See him at 18, the only thing that stopped whatever he wanted to do in football was attitude. Sounds daft but imagine putting Cristiano Ronaldos commitment at being the best into an 18 year old Tony Watt? Extreme example but I’ve seen a lot more talented players than Ronaldo not be anywhere near him, and that’s down to that guys commitment to be the best.

 

New season, new Leigh Griffith's 'im back' training montage. Yawn.

 

Aye Hibs seem to have produced quite a few *..

Is it the Edinburgh nightlife scene or something I don't know?

Watt had all the attributes. Quick. Strong. Could finish. Raw..

He * it. He's done no bad to half turn it around now but he was long gone for year's. I heard a story about him out in Belgium from a former Spurs youth player that was pal's with my brother's pal (aye I know). Was acting up and getting thrown out taxi's out his box. I won't say what he was doing but you can guess the kinda daftness and embarrassment he was. They wanted shot of him after that if I remember right..

He would've been Scotland's main 9 for year's..

 

Aye, I know people that grew up with him. He was just a normal boy from Coatbridge who was * hot at football, the full fact we signed him directly from Airdrie and he never came through youth systems probably both made him better and less predictable as a player, but his talent made him win and be better at every level he ever tried. Including the Champions League. Because everybody forgets this because just the significance of his Barca performance, he replaced Miku against Benfica and absolutely ripped them a new one at Parkhead. His skill in the corner to bully bigger defenders and outclass them, I was 10 yards away from it. Never been as well excited about a guy as that. He’s screwed the nut a bit now, in a natural way that you do growing up. He wasn’t a pure *, just a normal guy with talent. But if he had that level of commitment, he would have been a different class.