MALONEY WARNS STRIKER HE’S LOST POLE POSITION
Former Parkhead hero urges Griffiths to
SHAUN Maloney has warned out-ofshape Leigh Griffiths he may have opened the door for Patryk Klimala to steal his Celtic spot after being berated by Neil Lennon.
The Parkhead manager has given the Scotland striker a furious dressing down after deciding he was not fit enough to travel with the Scottish champions to the Veolia Trophy in France.
Lennon was left angry after the 29-year-old reported back from lockdown “out of condition and overweight”.
The Northern Irishman has also ordered the 29-year-old – who spent time during the last four months posting lighthearted videos on social media platform TikTok – to cut out his “social media nonsense”.
Former Celtic star Maloney does not believe the row will spell the end of the former Livingston, Dundee, Wolves and Hibernian front man’s six-year stay in Glasgow. But he warned he may have fallen behind Klimala in Lennon’s pecking order after watching the Pole fire his first goal in Celtic colours to hand his side a 1-1 draw with Nice on Thursday night.
Maloney, who had nine years with Celtic either side of an 18-month spell at Aston Villa, told the BBC’s Scottish Football podcast: “Leigh has to find the motivation to fight for a spot.
He has to want to be that striker they go to with Odsonne Edouard. The motivation has to be there.
“Klimala scored [on Thursday] night. He came in in January and he’s worked incredibly hard during the break. It’s another person’s opportunity. That’s what happens in team sports. Things don’t wait.”
Griffiths missed the second half of the 2018/19 campaign as he took time out to battle personal issues. Lennon’s patience now appears to be wearing thin with the Scotland striker.
“If he wants to have a future here at the club it’s down to himself,”. Lennon said
“We’re not prepared to do a lot more for him. Everything’s there for him. He’s let himself down and he’s let us down.
“You can never say never about chances but he’s got a lot to do to get back in around it.”
And Maloney urged the striker to act now to save his Celtic career.
“It’s not a good situation but I’m sure there’s more to it than what we know,” said the 37-year-old, now an assistant to Belgium manager Roberto Martinez.
“You read the quotes and you can see how disappointed his manager is. Nowadays, with the apps and the programmes, they know exactly what the players are doing during lockdown.
“The players all have to do the same amount of work so that would be the biggest disappointment if a team-mate is doing less than you.
“The ball is in his court so hopefully he comes back in a better condition. He’s got time to rectify it.”
Klimala, meanwhile, was forthright in his assertion that he hopes his goal and performance in France have made Lennon proud.
After finally notching his first goal in Celtic colours to level the match up in Lyon, the £3.5million January buy from Jagiellonia admits he has struggled to settle into life with the Scottish champions.
Lennon, never one to shower individuals with praise, was quick to point out in the aftermath of that friendly outing against Nice, that there is much improvement to come from Klimala, who since moving to Glasgow six months ago had featured just four times – making only one competitive start.
But the Celtic manager applauded the 21-year-old’s work away from the club during the coronavirus lockdown and was delighted to see the bulked-up hitman finally find the net during Thursday night’s 1-1 draw.
Now Klimala hopes there will be more to come after opening his account at the Veolia Trophy.
He told CelticTV: “I feel good. I feel ready. I hope I showed that last night and can do the same in the next game with Lyon.
“I’ve waited for my chance for six months, this is true.
“In the past I wasn’t ready but now I am. Against Nice I got my chance and I took it.
“Hopefully my manager, our team and my team-mates are proud of me.”
He has to want to be that striker they go to