Matty aims high after Dons deal
games in his career, 109 in 221 for Celtic. Pretty much one every two games. But in the last 116 of those, since Brendan Rodgers took over four seasons ago, only 60 of those games have been starts, the other 56 from the bench, and he’s still managed 42 goals.
When it comes to validation for his work, he’s had to virtually beg for it.
At one point he couldn’t even get on the bench because
Anthony Stokes, Teemu
Pukki, John Guidetti, even
Stefan Scepovic were all ahead of him.
In the 2015 calendar year he scored 37 in 52 yet still only had two
Scotland starts to his name at that point, both when he was at
Wolves.
He had to sit and watch and wait while Amido Balde, Carlton Cole and Nadir Ciftci all came and went like fad fashions.
He had to play second fiddle to Moussa Dembele on his inexorable rise and now is sucking it up again behind the huge talent of Odsonne Edouard.
Sure, he hasn’t made life easy for himself at times – tying scarves to posts at Ibrox after Old Firm games, the odd questionable tweet, not exactly the behavioural traits of a man who would rather shut out the noise in his life.
But with addictive personalities it can be compulsive and selfdestructive.
Plenty of players get by without the need for controversy or confrontation, for Griffiths it seems unavoidable. And while rolled-up sock tape isn’t exactly an offensive weapon, you can’t launch it at old Uncle Albert next to the dugout just because he’s been abusing you like a dog all night and expect not to have the book throw back at you.
Especially in our over-reactive goldfish bowl, where the likes of Boyd demand instant parity for the perceived injustices foisted on Alfredo Morelos.
But look at the difference in language used around Griffiths and Brian Rice’s cry for help last week.
Brave Chipper – but slate-loose, can’t-be-trusted Sparky? Is that fair, when both have prostrated themselves for their flaws in the same way?
It doesn’t, nor should it, give either of them carte blanche – but in football you’re expected to simply “man up” and suck up a lot of what’s aimed at you.
If you’re not feeling good about
Sunday Mail
yourself, your reaction is going to manifest itself in different ways.
For Griffiths, here’s hoping that’s simply in him scoring, and not in reacting.
Because Lord knows we could be doing with him. A hungry Griffiths out to prove the world wrong is a player we should all want in the Scotland squad in a few weeks’ time.
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Matty Kennedy hopes his move to Aberdeen will lead to silverware and European football.
The winger completed his switch from St Johnstone on Friday and will go straight into Derek McInnes’ squad for today’s game at St Mirren.
The 25-year- old has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Pittodrie and in that time wants a first crack at the Europa League and the chance to pick up a major Scottish trophy.
Kennedy admitted: “I would like to get a bit of silverware.
“Aberdeen were in both cup finals two seasons ago. The club are in finals most years and I would like to experience that.
“I have never played in Europe and would love the opportunity to show what I can do on that stage as well.”
The Northern Ireland squad player is delighted to have got his move in this window because he thought he would have to wait until the summer af ter signing a pre-contract agreement.
He added: “I was delighted at the time I signed the pre-contract and thought that was it. Then the gaffer spoke to me and said he would like it to happen now.
“It didn’t look like it was going to happen then I took a phone call on Friday after training and had to come up from Glasgow to get the deal signed.”