Griffiths must avoid the descent into oblivion like Bendtner
STUPID mistakes, police charges, ill-fated pub visits, friction with bosses, fitness issues, attitude problems and questionable use of social media. There are more than a few parallels to be drawn between the careers of Leigh Griffiths and Nicklas Bendtner. The fact they both now wear No 9 for their clubs is only the start of it.
Griffiths, of course, will be denied the privilege of pulling on that jersey when Rosenborg visit Parkhead on Wednesday night in the Champions League qualifier.
As he reflects from the stand on the folly that resulted in his suspension, the sight of Bendtner — this walking embodiment of squandered talent — on the pitch should present even greater food for thought.
The Dane is what becomes of you when you fail to learn lessons and lack dedication. He had it all and blew it. Several times — and it is never coming back.
Both men are in contrasting places in their careers. Bendtner is not so much on the downward slope as reaching top speed before departing the ski ramp.
It is remarkable he is still involved at this level, lowly as the Norwegian league and his reported £8,500-a-week must seem.
For Griffiths — at an ambitious side and a first-pick for Scotland — this, on the other hand, is about as good as it will get.
Make no mistake, though. He does not want to stretch his club manager Brendan Rodgers’ patience any further.
The one-match ban for tying a scarf to the goals at Windsor Park at the end of the game against Linfield will not end his time at Celtic, but it is likely to cost him his starting place.
There have also been other issues with Rodgers over the player’s conditioning — just as there were with Ronny Deila — and his commitment to squad above self.
Rodgers speaks warmly of his centre-forward. He is that kind of guy. And despite the scrapes he has been in, there is another vital difference between Griffiths and Bendtner. Goals. Griffiths scores them. Bendtner doesn’t.
Now 29, the former Arsenal forward is at Rosenborg to bolster their Champions League campaign.
However, he looks about as likely to inspire a positive result in Europe as Boris Johnson.
Only once has he managed to reach double figures in a season — on loan from Arsenal to Birmingham ten years ago.
Since then, he has been a walking advert for the obscenity of football. Earning fortunes and being horsed out on his ear by club after club. His rap sheet makes Griffiths look like a choirboy.
When little Leigh strips down to his underwear, some girl invariably ends up getting pregnant.
With Bendtner, someone usually ends up getting a lawyer.
At Arsenal, he shambled out of a nightclub with his trousers round his ankles hours after losing a Champions League semi-final to Manchester United.
He was found in his underwear again after writing off his £160,000 Aston Martin. Wearing pants sporting a betting firm’s logo while playing for Denmark at Euro 2012 brought an £80,000 fine and a ban. He had a son with a beautiful Danish baroness, leaving her seven weeks after the birth.
However, there were almost as many headlines created when, nearing the end at Arsenal in 2014, he allegedly threatened a taxi driver before attempting to kiss and make up in the most peculiar way.
‘Bendtner was out by the side window and began to unbutton his pants,’ the driver reported. ‘He took out his belt, began to whip the car while he rubbed his abdomen against the window and yelled that he will f*** me.
‘I have encountered drunks and alcoholics in Copenhagen for over 25 years, but I’ve never experienced anything like that.’
On loan at Sunderland, he was arrested for allegedly going on a car-wrecking spree with team-mate Lee Cattermole. Charges were later dropped.
On signing for Juventus on loan, they concluded he was too fat to play. Enough to affect any man’s equilibrium. Certainly enough to result in Bendtner being banned from driving for three years and fined £100,000 for careering down the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic in Copenhagen while over the alcohol limit.
Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg then tolerated him for almost two seasons before managing director Klaus Allofs branded him ‘a menace to the club’.
Bendtner had posted a picture of himself getting into a Mercedes — rivals to the club’s main sponsor Volkswagen — on social media. He never played for them again.
Nottingham Forest gave him a two-year deal, though, then punted him to Rosenborg six months later after two goals in 17 outings. There is another important difference between him and Griffiths. Invited into the Arsenal academy at 16, Bendtner had it all handed to him on a plate.
Griffiths, in contrast, has had to battle through the ranks from Livingston to Dundee, to Hibs via a disappointing period at Wolves — banging in goals all the time.
He has held off countless challenges to his position at Celtic and wrung more out of his ability than Bendtner ever has. At 25 and a natural finisher, there is real scope for progression.
Yet, before him on Wednesday will stand a vivid example of how a star can fade when mistakes are regularly repeated.
Crossing paths with a miscreant such as Bendtner at this particular juncture could be seen as timely. And a warning.