LEADING SCOT
Griffiths out to claim key role in attack
LEIGH GRIFFITHS admits he now feels better equipped to play for Scotland as he seeks to stake his claim ahead of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The Celtic striker has netted 35 times for his club this season but readily accepts he still faces a significant challenge if he is to become Gordon Strachan’s first-choice up front.
He played just 15 minutes of the failed Euro 2016 campaign — coming on as a substitute in Georgia — as Steven Fletcher regularly spearheaded the side.
Griffiths and Fletcher, who has recovered from a virus, are both in the squad to face Denmark in tomorrow’s friendly at Hampden.
Derby frontman Chris Martin i s also included, while Ross McCormack impressed during last week’s win over the Czech Republic in Prague.
Griffiths last started for Scotland back in 2013 but believes his progress at Parkhead since has made him more suited to Strachan’s system.
‘At Celtic, I ’ ve been playing t hat formation and lone striker role for the past 18 months and I’ve grown into it,’ he said.
‘It feels weird when the gaffer says there will be two up now. With Scotland, it will be one and I hope to get the nod.
‘I can only do what I am doing at Celtic and that is score goals. If that’s enough to get me in, I’ll be happy.
‘If not, I’ll wait and need to take the chance
when it comes with both hands. The level of competition we faced at the beginning of the season, such as Malmo and other games, means you could say that I am ready to go. ‘But that decision is up to the gaffer.’ Griffiths may have plundered goals for Celtic at home and in Europe this season but he doesn’t feel any sense of entitlement when it comes to Scotland. Rather, the 25-year-old speaks about his rivals for the lead striker role with genuine respect. ‘You get asked sometimes: “Why are you not playing?”,’ he added. ‘I just say it’s because I have not been good enough. ‘I saw Steven Fletcher take a lot of stick on social media before the Poland game (last October) and he silenced his critics. He was my man of the match and did a lot of unseen work as well as scoring a great goal. ‘Ross McCormack could have counted himself unfortunate not to be in the original squad to play the Czechs, but he got a call-up and must have trained really well to get a start.’