Alex McLeish has brought Leigh Griffiths’ personal life into his decision to withdraw from the Scotland international squad.
International managers need to tread a very careful line with players, remembering at all times that they are simply borrowing players from clubs.
It seems that after a lengthy absence from management the former Aston Villa boss has lost touch with the unwritten rules of the international game.
McLeish issued a warning earlier this season that Griffiths’ lack of first team football could impact on his international prospects but has taken things further with an update on the strikers’ decision to concentrate on his fitness ahead of international duty.
Scotland manager Alex McLeish won’t throw Leigh Griffiths “under a bus” after the Celtic striker withdrew from the squad.
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— BBC Sportsound (@BBCSportsound) October 9, 2018
Everybody has issues in their personal life.
For whatever reason it seems that McLeish has decided to pick a quarrel with the Celtic striker.
Putting him in for the thankless task of playing solo against Belgium was never going to turn out in Griffiths’ favour while Steven Naismith and Jonny Russell got the easy shift of playing against Albania.
After his double against England last year the Celtic striker is the closest thing that the Tartan Army has to a hero- if Scotland fail to win in Israel the Scotland boss will have some explaining to do.
