Mackay: I could see he was a likely lad

DAVE mackay has watched former Livingston team-mate Leigh Griffiths’ journey from precocious teenager to Scotland’s top striker.

But the veteran St Johnstone captain recalls a string of Almondvale players trying their best to educate a teenager who played his football off the cuff.

Now he suspects Griffiths’ education is nearing completion after he raced to 50 goals for celtic and added a hattrick in the 8-1 demolition of Hamilton this week.

‘Leigh’s on fire at the moment,’ said Mackay ahead of Saints’ trip to Parkhead today.

‘He broke the record for quickest to 50 goals and then adds another three in midweek.

‘ I played with him at Livingston and you always knew he could finish.

‘His left foot is incredible. He very rarely misses the target. And he’s scoring goals with his right now as well.

‘Leigh’s always been good in the air, too. He’s got a great leap and is a threat at the back post. People are just starting to realise that.

‘He’s becoming complete player.

‘At Livvy, it was almost as if he hadn’t been coached.

‘He came in at 16 because of all the financial problems at the club and was thrown straight in. He’d try and beat four players.

‘Now at celtic he’s matured and his hold- up play and link-up is much improved.

‘Playing with better players and listening to coaches has seen him improve.

‘It’s great for Leigh and will be great for Scotland, I’m sure. If there was a Scotland game tomorrow, he’d have to be playing. He’s our inform player.

‘ He could be a little bit frustrating as a youngster. He was one of these wee guys who knew he was a good player and could do what he wanted to do basically. As long as he was scoring goals it didn’t matter.

‘James McPake was captain at the time and a few players had a go at Leigh.

the But he’s matured since then and that’s showing through in his game.

‘If you’re scoring the amount of goals he is you’re entitled to have a bit of a gallus streak.’

How Saints could do with him i n their team today, having failed to score in their last five games. Mackay hopes wi nger Michael O’Halloran is in their line-up at Parkhead, after being left out of the squad last weekend amid talk of him joining Rangers.

‘We’ve been winding him up. Michael’s quite a quiet boy,’ he said. ‘There has been a lot of talk about a move and it would unsettle you, there’s no doubt about that.

‘His agent will have been telling him stuff and his head will have been all over the place. But he’s had a bit of a laugh about it.

‘He’s been a great signing and if he does move, good luck to him.

‘But while he’s here he’s a huge asset to us and we obviously want him in the team.’

Saints face Hibs in a League cup semi-final next weekend, but Mackay (below) reckons the outcome of today’s game will have no bearing on it.

‘We’d love to get a win to go i nto t hat game with confidence but, even if we do lose to celtic, I don’t think it will change much for the semi-final. It’s a one-off game,’ he said.

‘ celtic’s r esult against Hamilton won’t come into our thinking. They can do that on any given day to any team.

‘Even though they have their critics, especially in Europe, they’re still the best team in the country by a mile.

‘If they’re on their game and the other team isn’t at it, they are capable of doing that. ‘I’ve been on the end of a few defeats in the past. I know what it’s like.

‘But I’ve also beaten them a couple of times as well. There have been a few draws, too. ‘If t hey have an off day and we play well, get our tactics r i ght and have a bit of l uck, we can get a result.’