OLD FIRM COUNTDOWN
GORDON STRACHAN raised his eyebrows when grandson Owen hailed Leigh Griffiths as the greatest player in the history of Scottish football.
But the former Celtic manager has no doubts if the striker gets the nod for the Scottish Cup semi-final showdown against Rangers he can be the greatest player at Hampden on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers again has a major decision to make for the Old Firm crunch.
Does he start Moussa Dembele who has an excellent record against Rangers? Or Griffiths? Or both? Strachan has no intention of telling Rodgers what to do but does have no hesitation in suggesting the Scotland striker is capable of a huge display if he gets the shout. Griffiths has
done it before in big games.
For Strachan he bagged two stunning free-kicks in the biggest game of all against England last summer.
The hitman has also shone on major occasions for Celtic and, with his outstanding form over the past couple of years, Strachan found the striker had gained a lifetime fan within his own family.
He laughed and said: “He’s my grandson’s favourite player that’s for sure. I thought Kenny Dalglish was the best fitba player but it’s Leigh.
“We were playing golf in La Manga last year, my son, Kenny and myself.
“My son’s wee boy loves football, he loves Celtic. His dad said to him, ‘Do you know daddy played with probably Scotland’s best ever player today?’
“His wee boy said, ‘Leigh Griffiths?’ That was about two weeks before we played England then he came to the game and Griff scored two goals!”
Rodgers has asked Griffiths to work on his professionalism, to be a 24-hour footballer, while the hitman has courted controversy for tying scarves to goalposts and waving the Irish flag at an Old Firm game.
But Strach insists the 27-year-old’s ability to take on board the necessary information to advance key areas of his game proves there is also an intelligence within the man.
He said: “When people talk about players improving they often get unfairly treated. People say they’re not this and they’re not that, they’re not very clever.
“But you need to have a reasonable BY CRAIG SWAN amount of intelligence to take things in and there’s no doubt he’s taken things in from managers over the last three or four years that have made him a better player.
“He’s daft at times but you wouldn’t change him. He’s not done me any harm when I worked with him.
“He added to the energy about the place, the humour and the fact I can watch him score wonderful goals. He’s not done any managers harm. He may do silly things but I can’t recall anything that’s affected anyone long term.
“In terms of defending set-plays and attacking set-plays you lose a bit of height but in free play, when the ball goes in the box, he’s good in the air.
“You need to be brave to do that. Wee guys are likely to take a knock when you’re going up that high so he’s come on brilliantly in that regard.
“Big games, they might go for power, but Griff gives you something else.
“When you play him you’re guaranteed four shots a game, unless you’re playing someone exceptional like Barcelona. But in league games and Europa League games you get four attempts at goal from him. There’s something about him, he’s sharp. Everything he does it’s quick. It’s always done quickly. You see him, he’s gone.”
Griffiths’s return from injury in the past fortnight has added additional threat to the champions.
Strachan believes Rodgers and his team have performed admirably this term and doesn’t buy into the notion Celts have taken a backward step.
He said: “It’s not been easy this year. Dembele and Griff have been injured and last year anything that went into the box was going into the net.
“Teams have made it hard for Celtic to produce and it’s not often you get four, five or six players on fire in a season. For different reasons it’s not materialised this year but they’re lucky enough to have people like Callum McGregor and James Forrest who have taken up the mantle.
“When you win things you want even more of it and the fear of not having it keeps you going.”
Gordon Strachan was speaking at a William Hill media event. William Hill is the proud sponsor of the Scottish Cup.
GORDON STRACHAN