Celts can’t let setback get serious

LEIGH GRIFFITHS’ growing familiarity with the inquests which tend to follow European exits does not make them any easier.

In four of his six years as a Celtic player, the striker has had his hopes of dining at Europe’s top table dashed. The Europa League always feels like thin gruel in comparison.

While the hangover of previous losses to Maribor, Malmo and AEK Athens took time to shift, you suspect the avoidable nature of Tuesday’s defeat to Cluj will see it linger in the system for rather longer.

With Dunfermline, AIK Stockholm and Hearts providing varied opposition before the small matter of Rangers at Ibrox on September 1, the danger of one bad night bleeding into the rest of Celtic’s season does not need spelling out.

For Griffiths, the importance of ensuring the page is turned before today’s Betfred Cup clash must be underscored in red marker pen.

‘It’s not been great but we can’t dwell on it; we need to pick ourselves back up,’ said the forward.

‘Yes, it was disappointing but it’s in the past and we need to move on from it and put things right.

‘Obviously, playing in the Champions League is the pinnacle of your club career but you can’t not turn up for the first 45 minutes and expect to go through.

‘Football’s a 90-minute game and you’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t play for the full game.

‘If we’d played the same way in the second half right from the start we wouldn’t have had any problems but we weren’t good enough.

‘I know we lost goals in the second half but that’s because we were pushing for that extra goal ourselves. You’d rather lose by going out fighting than sit back and try and snatch one on the counter.’

With the crowd likely to be significantly lower than Tuesday’s attendance, there are inherent dangers this afternoon against the Pars.

‘Dunfermline will come and make things difficult for us,’ admitted Griffiths.

‘We’ll respect them but it’s up to us to go out and win comfortably. It’s about us trying to put in a performance to get bums on seats. It will be far from a sell-out against Dunfermline and we’ll need Thursday (against AIK Stockholm) to be a sell-out because it’s a hugely important game for the club.’

Griffiths has scarcely put a foot wrong this season. Not only has he scored three times to date, his sharpness seems to be returning to its optimum level.

Steve Clarke, currently mulling over the squad he will select for next month’s Euro 2020 qualifiers with Russia and Belgium, has yet to get in touch but the player is not unduly concerned by that.

‘He’s obviously got other things on his mind,’ said Griffiths.

‘It is a new start. The new manager will have his own ideas, his own style of play and how his teams will go about it. You could see how Kilmarnock played, they were hard to break down and were good on the counter-attack.

‘We have guys in the Scotland squad who have speed in abundance and there is quality up top. It will be interesting to see who he goes for because both games are really difficult. But we are at home and have to make that count.’

Given the calibre of the opposition the national team will face next, only an optimist would be planning for next summer just yet.

It hasn’t escaped Griffiths’ notice, though, that qualification for Scotland would guarantee a group game with England at either Hampden or Wembley.

For the man who scored those two free-kicks against Joe Hart two years ago only to draw the game, the prospect of a reunion would be truly something to savour.

‘We have a few that are good at set-pieces, Callum McGregor, Ryan Christie and Stuart Armstrong,’ he added.

‘It’s just that mine are hitting the back of the net right now. I hope I can keep that going.’