Griffiths must grab a first on way to century
CELTIC head for Hampden on Saturday aiming to do what no other team in the history of Scottish football has done by securing an unprecedented Double Treble.
However, as befits his ravenous nature, Leigh Griffiths is hungry to join not just one exclusive club on Scottish Cup final day but two.
Should the Scotland striker hit the net twice against Motherwell he will have reached 100 goals for the champions in four seasons since signing from Wolves in 2014.
The last Parkhead player to do so was John Hartson in 2005 when he became part of a celebrated group of centurions including Henrik Larsson, Kenny Dalglish, Jimmy McGrory and Bobby Lennox.
Yet, if Griffiths is to join such esteemed company this weekend, he will first of all have to do something that has eluded him so far: score a cup-final goal for Celtic.
‘To get my 100th goal in the Scottish Cup final would be the perfect end to the perfect season,’ smiled Griffiths.
‘If I could choose how I want to get my 100 goals then it would be in the final. I’ve never scored in a cup final for Celtic yet, so that would also break my duck.
‘I’m two goals away now from the century and it seems to be getting increasingly and increasingly even more difficult to do it.
‘But I will be there on Saturday and if I get the chance to put the ball in the back of the net then I will.
‘The boys are willing me to get it done and hopefully if there are any set-piece or penalties I’m sure they will duly oblige and let me hit them.
‘But I don’t think many people take notice of the goalscorers in finals as long as we get the job done and win the cup.
‘Obviously Tom Rogic’s winning goal against Aberdeen in last season’s Scottish Cup final was a little bit different because it was so late in the game and it clinched an unbeaten Treble.’
Griffiths insisted that the burden of trying to make history by winning consecutive Trebles is not weighing on the shoulders of the Celtic players.
The 27-year-old merely shrugged and said his team-mates will deal with the pressure the same way they always have when lifting the previous five pieces of domestic silverware on offer.
‘There is pressure on us to win every week,’ he noted. ‘We have got 60,000 fans at home pressing us to win and if we don’t win then we hear them.
‘The manager says just to take it game by game. We let him deal with all the off-field stuff and that lets us just concentrate on our football and make sure we go out and get the wins we need.
‘If you play to your best and you get beat then that’s fair enough, but we have had a full week to prepare for this game and we will be ready.’
The big book of Scottish football cliches would suggest there is no pressure on Motherwell given that the Fir Park budget is dwarfed by the financial might available to Brendan Rodgers and Celtic. But the Steelmen are desperately seeking a treble of their own — a third Scottish Cup to add to famous triumphs in 1952 and 1991. Stephen Robinson’s side lost 2-0 to Celtic in the Betfred Cup final at Hampden last November. But the pivotal moment in that game was Cedric Kipre’s sending-off after he conceded a penalty for a challenge on Scott Sinclair at 1-0 down. Since then, Motherwell have twice held Celtic and they enjoy making life uncomfortable for them. They also show no fear at Hampden, excelling against Aberdeen and Rangers in their two semi-final wins there this season. ‘Motherwell will come and make it difficult for us,’ said Griffiths. ‘We have seen that already this season. They will come to Hampden and they will have a go. That is what they are all about. ‘They have had an up and down season but they have got to two major finals and they will be looking to make a mark. They will want to get their hands on that trophy as well. ‘So they will be difficult opponents. But, if we bring our A-game and everyone is on form, then we are difficult to contain and we’ll be almost there.’