No imminent return for Griffiths, reveals Rodgers
LADBROKES PREMIERSHIP BRENDAN Rodgers offered Scotland boss Alex McLeish no encouragement by confirming Leigh Griffiths remains unavailable for Celtic.
The Hoops striker has not played since the 6-0 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park earlier in the month and pulled out of the last Scotland squad for fitness reasons, with a calf injury being a recent concern.
Hearts and Scotland were dealt a blow when striker Steven Naismith was ruled out of the Scots’ upcoming Nations League deciders against Albania and Israel after being told he needed knee surgery.
Ahead of the trip to bottom side Dundee in the Ladbrokes Premiership this evening, Celtic boss Rodgers was asked about the prospects of Griffiths being able to fill that gap when McLeish names his squad early next week.
He said: “I’m not sure at this moment, we just take it day by day. It’s a blow, Steven Naismith being out for Scotland and for Hearts, but we just need to assess that.
“There is not a lot of time, that’s the only thing I would say. Certainly if he was available, he would be nowhere near match fit, but we will see over the next few weeks where Leigh is at.
“We have 10 injuries, so our medical team are working hard with the players to get them back but there is no timeline on it.”
After a faltering start to the season, the champions look to be on their way back to their best with 13 goals in their last three domestic games, including the 3-0 Betfred Cup semi-final win over Hearts at BT Murrayfield on Sunday.
Rodgers added: “We have been working very hard on the training field, reassuring the players of their ability to focus and continue believing.
“What is important is that we can have no doubt about how we work and how we play, and the players have shown that over the last few years.
“Sometimes you have periods where you don’t take your chances or don’t score, and for us at the beginning of the season we weren’t creating as much.
“But we are much more synchronised in our movement now.”
≈ HEARTS striker Steven MacLean has been handed a Scottish Football Association disciplinary charge following an incident with Celtic’s Eboue Kouassi.
MacLean appeared to grab the midfielder’s private parts as the pair jostled during Celtic’s win on Sunday. The 36-year old faces a two-match ban with a hearing date pencilled in for tomorrow. Ruled out: Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths is sidelined with injury NEWRY: Coleman, McArdle, King (Healy, 46 mins), Mullen, Boyle, McCann, Walker (S Lavery, 19 mins), Teggart, M Hughes, McCabe, Delaney (Johnston, 32 mins). Unused subs: Maguire, Durnin, McCaul, Taylor
PORTADOWN: Dunne, Neill, McCallum, Flynn, C Lavery, Kilmartin, Braniff, Hall, Wilson, Carmichael, Morrison (Salley, 59 mins). Unused subs: Carson, Blair, Thompson, Douglas, Robinson, Tipton
Referee: Andrew Davey (Bangor)