GRIFF: I’LL SHAPE UP FOR THE BOSS
Griff vows to heed Rodgers’ lifestyle warning to save Celts career
LEIGH GRIFFITHS has admitted he was stung by Brendan Rodgers’ public rebuke of his lifestyle – but the Celtic striker is adamant he’s got the message. A catalogue of minor injury issues have curtailed Griffiths’ season, and the Parkhead manager’s patience was clearly tested last month when he called into question elements of the striker’s choices away from the pitch.
It did not make easy reading for Griffiths, but he maintains he is adhering to the standards that are expected of him at the club.
“I’ll be honest and say that it wasn’t nice to hear it said publicly,” said Griffiths. “That wasn’t the best. It wasn’t a great feeling to have it out there, but I spoke to the gaffer after that and we had a good talk.
“To be fair, he has been good with me and I have nothing, but the utmost respect for him and what he has done here since coming into the club. I understand where
he is coming from. I know exactly what he wants from me and I can do it.
“There are 10 league games remaining now and I want to get my head down and just keep myself ticking over so that I can finish strongly
“It is one of those things. I was frustrated at being injured and clearly he was too.”
There have been plenty of whispers about Griffiths’ lifestyle, but the player remains has vowed that he is adhering to the kind of choices that will endear him to the Celtic manager.
Rodgers has made no secret of the fact that he expects his squad to commit to the sacrifices required to play professional football, something that Griffiths believes he has taken on board.
“People took different angles from it, but I know exactly what the manager wants from me and I want to give him it,” he said.
“I am eating all the right foods, I am training well, I am getting rest in and I just want the injuries to be behind me and serve a wee reminder between now and the end of the season of what I can do.
“There is no issue at all with it. The manager knows what he wants from me and I know that I can deliver it.
“I have goals in me, no doubt about that. I am just itching to play now and get a wee run before the end of the season so that I can see it out on a high.
“It has been frustrating but it is behind me. I have had the boot up the backside and maybe I needed it but I am only looking one way now and that is ahead.”