A week ago Chris Sutton was critical of the shape Leigh Griffiths was in with the striker still to complete a full match this season.
The comments were made after Celtic lost 4-1 to Sparta Prague and prompted a phone call from the Celtic ‘super-sub’.
Sutton stood by his comments the following night when he appeared on BT Sport against the back-drop of Griffiths being recalled to the Scotland squad for the first time in two years.
Steve Clarke didn’t considered Griff for a starting place, Ollie McBurrnie was sent on to replace Lyndon Dykes but with five minutes of extra-time left to play Clarke turned to Griff who obliged by tucking away the first penalty of the shoot-out.
Covering that in the Daily Record, Sutton said:
I know we have had our run-ins recently but credit to Leigh Griffiths. He came on at the end and had the bravery to step up and take that first penalty. That takes guts because it’s such a crucial moment in a shootout. Miss that one and it’s an uphill struggle – but he smashed it and showed his big-game mentality.
Griffiths will be hoping for greater involvement in Scotland’s matches against Slovakia and Israel before he returns to Celtic and the prospect of scoring against his old club when Celtic face Hibs at Easter Road a week today.