Without doubt Celtic face a major dilemma over Leigh Griffiths.
The first video clip of the striker singing about Hearts going burst was greeted with a smile and laugh by most supporters who share his views.
A clip of him singing the Rudi Skacel song was something entirely different and is now subject to a police investigation with Celtic caught in the crossfire.
When it comes to these sort of matters there will always be a groundswell of opinion to sack the player with comments from Neil Lennon in October 2012 underlining his own position.
“We are an open club and we have been since the club was formed 125 years ago,” the Celtic boss said as Rooney’s Rule, introduced in the NFL to ensure that ethnic minorities were included on the interview list for coaching vacancies, was discussed. “I have a zero-tolerance rule. I have spoken to the players about this before. Any sign of any sort of racism against colour, religion, background, will be an instant sackable offence.
“I don’t have to really speak to my players about that. The spirit and respect they have for each other is tremendous but they have been made well aware of that before. There is no place for that [discrimination] in the game and there never should have been. At this club we see everyone as equal and all I see are footballers and men and we treat them that way.”
When a possible sacking offence is discussed in football it tends to boil down to one simple issue- is the player any good or have a transfer value? Franny Sandaza and ex-Hearts midfielder Craig Thompson are examples of how that rule operates.
Many Celtic supporters would like to think that the club is above that sort of reasoning but I hope that Griffiths is spared from being handed his P45.
The player clearly has a number of issues off the park, these have been long established with trouble going hand in hand with his ability and scoring record.
Rather than wash their hands of the former Hibs striker Celtic can make an example of Griffiths and lead the way for genuine campaigning in Scottish football.
The club can only fine him two weeks wages but there are other avenues open to Celtic. While others pay lip service to the various anti-racism campaigns such as the photo opportunity ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ at the same time as racism appears at a number of football grounds, unpunished, on a regular basis.
Celtic can put Griffiths in front of the Celtic TV cameras to admit the error of his ways, discuss how repulsive racism is and that the Skacel song is way, way beyond the banter that covers up for too much in football.
Griffiths can be present at every anti-racism campaign in Scotland, visiting schools once a week telling other impressionable kids that the Skacel song and others aren’t in any way funny.
He can tell schoolkids of the great contributions made to Scotland by people from foreign lands and how Scots have contributed to other countries.
If there is a grain of common sense in the striker’s mind he will embrace the opportunity and mend his ways- throw himself fully into a programme for change rather than a half-hearted campaign that ticks a box and earns brownie points.
Should Griffiths be reluctant to embrace change, or step out of line once, he can be booted back along the M8 to join his Hibs mates for Sunday singsongs and dine off his notoriety.
It’s your call Leigh.