Steve Clarke didn’t phone Leigh Griffiths to explain his omission from the squad for the European Championship.
The Celtic striker came off the bench to score in the penalty shoot-out win over Serbia in November but won’t be part of the squad that faces Croatia, the Czech Republic and England next month.
Griffiths hasn’t completed a 90 minutes this season but many pundits and folk in the game claim that he is a natural finisher.
Since Griffiths played in Serbia Kevin Nisbet and Che Adams have been introduced to the squad, despite being able to name 26 players rather than 23 there was no place for the Celtic striker in today’s announcement.
The Sun reports:
Clarke said he only works a camp back and therefore only had to endure difficult phone calls with Andy Considine and Liam Palmer. But urged them and others who thought they might be in to stay fit.
“I tend just to go back one camp back. So before the March camp I had four or five difficult phone calls. This time it was only two difficult phone calls with Andy Considine and Liam Palmer.
“Both obviously very disappointed but we have the chance to make changes to the squad right up until the day before the first game.
“I have told them – and this is for everybody who though they had a chance to be involved – is stay fit. With the pandemic and injuries you never know.”
Griffiths also faces an uncertain future at club level with his Celtic deal expiring at the end of June. As a free agent he can discuss a deal with another club or wait for the Celtic announcement to see if there is an offer from the club he joined in January 2014.