TIME TO FIGHT HIS DEMONS
Griffiths to step away from all football as Rodgers confirms ‘ongoing issues’
BRENDAN RODGERS last night told Leigh griffiths to forget about football and focus on battling his off-field demons.
The Celtic striker has been referred for professional assessment and rehabilitation after struggling with ‘ongoing issues’.
Rodgers refused to divulge the precise nature of the scotland striker’s problems, although rumours of a gambling addiction have dogged the 28-year-old for some time. The Celtic boss did admit, however, that recent incidents had brought to a head wider concerns over the player’s mental health.
Reports last night suggested that friends of the player had been concerned for his
safety after he had been posted missing earlier this week, only to be found two hours later in Edinburgh city centre by police.
Likely to be absent from football for some time, the loss of Griffiths leaves Celtic with just one fit striker as they seek a point to reach the Europa League last 32 against Salzburg tonight.
But Rodgers insisted football comes second to the father of five’s well-being.
‘What’s most important is Leigh’s welfare,’ said Rodgers. ‘Football is irrelevant if he is struggling in other areas.
‘We are getting a professional assessment and once we get a comprehensive report on that, we will have an idea of the path we want him to go on. He is coming out of that football environment and as a club we will look to do everything we can to help with that.
‘It’s just giving him enough time to make himself right and feel good and better. The most important thing is to help him find the consistent happiness that allows him to then progress.
‘There have been lots of issues around Leigh. We want to support him and help him professionally.
‘I felt the best thing in the summer was to move Moussa (Dembele) on after what had happened and that was going to leave us short — but our values are what they are.
‘It is the same situation with Leigh. He’s struggling and the best thing we feel is for him to get better. Yes, it leaves us short but that is irrelevant. These are our values. It is always the player and the person’s welfare. That’s what’s most important.’
In a stop-start campaign frustrated by injuries, Griffiths has made 22 appearances, withdrawing from the Scotland squad in October to focus on losing weight and improving his fitness.
Rodgers has tried both carrot and stick to get the striker firing on all cylinders but admits he can no longer paper over deeper issues in the player’s life.
‘You really need to be able to be at your happiest and most focused in order to come in every day, be your best and know you are at a huge club with big expectations,’ he said. ‘I’ve seen players struggle with that.
‘The standards only increase. And you have to have people in there who can cope with that. It is probably a huge burden lifted from him. Now he can look at starting on a road to find happiness, and life gets much better from there.’ While admitting there was a tipping point which forced Celtic to act, Rodgers declined to elaborate.
‘Yes, there was — which points towards really needing help and support to make himself happy,’ he said. ‘He wants the help. When you have these incidents — and it has been ongoing over a considerable period of time — there comes a point when you recommend this is what we do.
‘It’s a number of issues. Normally people with those issues have more than one and it snowballs into other aspects of their lives.
‘Listen, I’m not a specialist. But I’ve been around it long enough to see a trend in behaviours. I also know the pressures of football at huge clubs. I’ve been aware of issues for a while and obviously I can never say to you guys when you ask: “Is he fit?” And so on.
‘There’s a confidence there I will never break. But I think it’s at a point where hopefully he can get that help. We want to help Leigh find happiness and get him back playing.’