Brendan Rodgers has no worries about the ability of Leigh Griffiths.
After losing his Celtic place to Moussa Dembele the striker found himself behind Chris Martin and Steven Fletcher as Scotland’s World Cup hopes disappeared rapidly.
Last season’s 40 goal haul seems to have been forgotten alongside the precious double against Hapoel Beer Sheva that paved the way for Celtic’s Champions League place.
Griffiths will almost certainly start tonight’s match against Borussia Monchengladbach on the bench as Rodgers sticks to his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation led by Dembele.
While Scotland fans clamour for Griffiths to start against England at Wembley next month his club boss has no doubt that the former Hibs striker has a big role to play for Celtic.
“I can only comment on Leigh as the player I’ve got,” Rodgers stated. “It’s difficult for the kid at the moment but he has shown a great attitude.
“He is coming off the back of 40 goals and started this season great. He then gets injured and his replacement comes in. Unfortunately, his replacement is one of the best young strikers in European football.
“It’s not as if he is being kept out by someone who is not a good player. However hard it is for him, he understands it. He is a great boy. I have loved him from the first time I met him here.
“It’s probably hard for him that, say, someone who maybe hadn’t scored for so many games – not that he has said it, I can look and anticipate – is up front for his national team.
“There is someone like him who is a natural goalscorer but in my conversations with Leigh before about the national team, he really enjoys working with Gordon. He really respects him and he will continue to go there.
“He is a big talent. Just at the minute, there are different headlines because of where it’s at but football changes very quickly and I’m sure he will get opportunities to play for both Celtic and Scotland again.
“He just needs to make sure he is ready, like I say to all the players.”
Up until he was forced to rest his hamstring strain Griffiths had scored seven goals in eleven matches.
His goal away to Astana set Celtic on route to the Champions League with a double at home to Israeli champions Hapoel Beer Sheva providing the platform for a 5-2 home win that allowed the hoops through on a 5-4 aggregate.