Leigh Griffiths

Mate, you got your knickers in a twist as soon as Minty questioned Leigh’s professionalism because you immediately saw it as him making little of Leigh’s mental struggles. You should read all of his posts in the last couple of pages again and you’ll see it yourself.

 

That's complete bullshit

There's many many ways footballers can "get a day off/pull a sickie" - purposely get a yellow, "pull" a muscle, feign injury etc, just because they're professional footballers doesn't mean to say they can't be as wide as Joe Bloggs.

Not for one second suggesting Leigh was at it, but I wouldn't be shocked if he was - at times.

 

Pardon? All you’ve done is greet because I didn’t want to pacify you with what you wanted to hear. Talk about self importance. I never replied to your take on “being wrong” for a reason, that was because I think your talking *, you have absolutely zero contribution to the “argument” as you call it, you literally want to put the blame on the player not the team around him. I’ve stated before that Griff isn’t an angel but also stated there could be a lot more done to help him especially from a manager that couldn’t man manage a FM game never mind a professional team. Just ask yourself why NL is still spouting * in the papers and not preparing his new team for the upcoming season.

Also if I offend you so badly there is always the mute button lad, instead of trying to act like billy big baws and belittle people.

 

hes not the first or last footballer to be problematic but has continually scored goals and is the best most instinctive goal scorer at the club

what were we lacking badly last season ? goals, he got brought in when we were desperate and scored and gets left out for long periods for probably of the field issues, thats cutting your nose of to spite your face something egocentrics are famous for

 

I actually only replied to his comment it wasn’t an attack on him, if it read like that I apologise but it certainly wasn’t written in that way.

 

That's not really relevant to what I posted to be fair though all I'm saying is as a pro athlete surely the minimum requirement is to keep some sort of fitness whether or not he has mental health issues or has had them previously should have zero impact on whether he is offered a new deal

 

Greet? What a lot of utter pish.

Re-read the conversation below, within the spoiler. It's not me who's had 'zero contribution' to the discussion here.

The player is mostly to blame and he's had plenty of support from the club over his time here. Even taking Lennon's poor management from last season into consideration, seven seasons worth of evidence is enough to prove that Griffiths is largely the catalyst for his own issues. You don't offend me in the slightest and I haven't belittled anyone.

Spoiler

 

There were all sorts of issues on the park last season, the defence and lack of game plan being the two biggest issues imo. Lennon made a lot of bad selection decisions last season, of that there is no doubt. You won't find many people questioning Griffiths' ability on a domestic level as it's clear he's a goal threat and a good finisher. The issue people have is that he hasn't been available as often as he should have, and one of the reasons for that is due to his poor attitude. I'm not defending Lennon when I'm criticising Griffiths' lack of professionalism, you can criticise both and realise they were both part of the larger issue.

 

I think a lot of players that looked absolutely * last season will be like new player's with Postecoglou.

I rated NL highly in his first spell he done a great job after Mowbray and brought in a lot of new player's. He had a massive amount of passion for the job too but second time he never felt right.

He came on with no backroom team and his stock was low after the debacle of how he left Hibs. He seemed muted compared to the guy we had in the first spell although he framed it that he had matured. His tactics where poor and he seemed to alienate a lot of the players and fans.

You can't play * and go on the TV telling the fans we were great game after game without people losing respect.

He definitely chose to not play Griffith as some kind of punishment that was clear and that's the problem with NL. He doesn't pick the guys performing he picks guys on their transfer fee, their past glories etc. He played Christie non stop last season when everyone could see he was breaking our attacking play down with loose passes and wayward shots.

I hope Ange makes it that everyone has the chance to impress and gets in the team based on training, ability and form.

 

I think griff misses the point totally, Lennon playing him when he needed a goal or to change a game tells him everything he needs to know , he is a dam good striker and the manager knows this, so why is he being left out starting teams cauz he has a terrible attitude to wotever is really being asked of him .

 

maybe we should get shot of him clear out all the old and bad habits and start afresh in case the old issues resurface, i wouldn't be opposed to giving him a pay to play or goals incentive based contract, however hes not going to be a good trainer, so if we expect the playing squad to be all super fit we have a problem with leigh and probably should get rid

but as we seem to be so slow to build a team with decent signings for the season ahead it leaves you in no mans land no wonder people think of the good memories some of these older players once gave and are willing to give them another shot ?

last season there was so many issues like you said we seemed to be in pre season mode all the way through it like the season might get called off, the players probably wished that im sure

start of the season we were slow lacked a cutting edge and it caused a lot of pressure to be on an aging much less mobile and slower midfield general where calum had to basically be his carer for the season which isnt his job hes not a good DM and led to pressure on a defence that had been getting poorer and poorer every season

 

Really utter nonsense? The medical staff know there and then how much pain a player is in, without their input and players have no personal responsibility about themselves or there own bodies?

Nah, that’s utter nonsense. The medical staff can make judgement calls obviously but those injuries you can’t see until it’s tested your relying on the man himself to help you make that judgement call. If he’s saying nah I’m honestly fine, just a bit of cramp do you just say * up ya wee liar yer getting hooked off?

or whatabout the opposite? A player saying he’s not fit to play and got an injury, does the medical staff force them?

People are trying to take personal responsibility for footballers out of football.

Incidentally, it’s the exact same personal responsibility Leigh Griffiths has to make sure he’s * fit.

 

I swear I typed in Taylor. Either that or my eyesight going the same way as my hair - or maybe things really are that bad

 

Aye it is utter nonsense. Is it Mikey Johnstone's responsibility to take x-rays and blood tests before the game? Is he supposed to study a PhD in biology in his spare time? Nah, that's the medical team's job.

It's not Mikey's responsibility to decide when he plays and when he doesn't. He doesn't pick the team. He doesn't diagnose his own injuries. That's not what personal responsibility is.

It was Neil Lennon's responsibility to use the staff and the resources at his disposal to make informed decisions about his players fitness. It was Lennon's failing that got his player injured. It's nothing like the situation with Griffiths.

 

I disagree. Mikey said he was good to keep playing. In those situations it’s down to the player to call it right. The physios and coaches don’t know what the player is feeling.

 

If only there were some medical experts on hand who could have made the decision based on his medical history and analysis.

 

“Don’t take me off I’m perfectly fine it’s a bit of cramp”

Nah son you’re getting hooked

 

Or how about this, instead of asking a player whether they're at risk of aggravating an injury, the medical team just do what they're * paid to do in the first place.

 

Medical teams don’t do that when they’re on the pitch, they need to trust the player knows best for themselves to some extent.

I’ll never agree footballers have no personal responsibility for themselves. That’s utterly ridiculous.

 

How does a medical team right there and then, find out if it’s cramp or not? By listening to the player mate.