Griffiths has earned the right to get starting slot

LEIGH GRIFFITHS hasn’t always been the easiest player to sympathise with but right now you feel for him. Short of biting a chunk out of Nadir Ciftci’s leg it’s hard to see what more he can do to start games for Celtic. New Bhoy Ciftci is Ronny Deila’s first-choice striker for the Champions League qualifiers. In Iceland the other night, that looked a bold, risky call. The former Dundee United striker has played only two-and-a-half games. He deserves time to find his feet. But the Celtic supporters who were hardly enamoured by Ciftci’s capture in the first place will be quick to pass judgment unless the goals come soon. The same supporters were equally underwhelmed by the capture of Griffiths, of course. But since last Christmas the Scotland striker has scored goals. There were 19 last season in total. He ended the season as the club’s top marksman. He reacted to missing a penalty in the first leg of the Champions League qualifier against Stjarnan by hammering a hat-trick in a friendly in Spain. Then slotted another as a second-half substitute in Iceland in midweek. No one believes he is perfect. There are suspicions surrounding his ability to step up a level in Europe. These are doubts Deila clearly shares. It’s also true that, like Ciftci, Griffiths has manufactured his share of unflattering headlines. Mainly off the pitch. The Procurator Fiscal has yet to rule on allegations of racist chants in a pub full of Hibs fans before an Edinburgh derby. And his personal life might best be described as colourful. But give him this much. His industry and work-rate is such he can eat as many Tunnock’s Teacakes as he likes and never put on weight. His professionalism has improved no end. And the front-page headlines have dried up. He is scoring goals for Celtic. Yet still it’s not enough to earn a start. He’ll have his chance when Ciftci begins a six-game domestic ban for biting Dundee’s Jim McAlister. The suspension could — and should — have been longer. Biting is one of football’s great taboos. But Ciftci can take heart from Griffiths. He worked on his own bad-boy reputation and cleaned up his act. The reward for that should be a weekly start as Celtic’s centre-forward.