Celtic have launched Operation Griffiths over fears that Albian Ajeti may be out of action for a number of weeks.
The Swiss striker injured a hamstring scoring Celtic’s second goal against Hibs on Saturday with the Scotland striker sitting on the bench for the first time this season.
After Moi Elyounoussi scored the only goal of the game against Riga on Thursday night there was talk that Griffiths had been downgraded to fifth choice striker but that could be about to change.
Griffiths has been written off at various stages during his Celtic career but with more than 100 goals in his locker he could be about to return to the fray.
The Daily Record reports:
Now the club are trying to get a bounce game arranged. The frontman is still well-short of match-fitness but he might need to be pushed on with Ajeti likely to be out for several weeks.
Strachan said: “Whatever goes on in the world of Leigh Griffiths I still think he is a terrific player. Seriously. People might wonder where’ he’s goes from here but it’s very simple, your career is determined by yourself.
“You might get help along the way but it all comes down to what you are prepared to do for yourself.
“I still go back to the wonderful football Celtic were playing after Christmas when he was a threat. No matter where Edouard was, you always knew Griff would be on the shoulder of defenders looking for balls coming across the box.
“He’s grease lightning over 10 yards. And what that means is, after that first 10 yards, he can relax when he’s going in on goal.
“So it’ll be great for Celtic to get Griff back in the mix along with Edouard, Ajeti and Patryk Klimala. That’s four good strikers to pick from.”
Ajeti bagged his fifth goal for the club on Sunday before limping off towards the treatment room but Strachan’s is convinced the return of Griffiths will soften the blow for Lennon.
He said: “Ajeti is the kind of striker who thinks, ‘If I’m getting once chance I’m taking it’. Of his five goals I’m sure four of them have been one touch. It’s like, ‘I’m a goalscorer. All of you can be footballers if you want but I’m here to score goals, If you want to be a football player fine, But just stick it in here and I’ll score,’.
“So it’s a blow that he’s damaged his hamstring. It would be an even bigger blow for most other teams but Neil Lennon turns round and goes, “Ajeti’s injured, I’ve got Edouard and Griffiths sitting over there so things are not that bad!’
Although Klimala is available to Neil Lennon and while the Pole has progressed this season he doesn’t have anything like the pedigree of Griffiths around goal.
Ajeti’s injury on the back of scoring a goal every 37 minutes over his six appearances is clearly a worry but it could be time to turn to Griffiths again with the former Hibs striker having plenty to prove.
