Ex-Celtic star Leigh Griffiths is ‘on a bit of a downer’ but I find myself applauding him in training reveals Martindale
DAVIE MARTINDALE will be gutted if Leigh Griffiths quits football.
Former Celtic striker Griffiths admitted last week he was ready to call it a day after a woeful decline in recent years.
But Martindale says the 32-year-old has been a breath of fresh air during his spell training at Livi.
There’s no chance of Griff earning a deal with the Lions — but the Livi boss said: “I’d be disappointed if it’s the case that his future is away from football.
“Leigh’s on a bit of a downer at the moment and we’re trying to get his spirits up.
“His phone’s not been ringing as much as he maybe thought it might have been.
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“I can only speak from my experience with him and around the place he’s been brilliant.
“He’s great with the guys and the staff. He’s been a positive influence around the club.
“He’s been working really hard at his fitness, his weight’s down, his body fats are down.
“Anything I ask him to do on the park, he’ll go and do it. There’s never a mump or moan.
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“He does a wee bit of striker finishing with Bruce Anderson.
“Bruce does free-kicks — Leigh is one of the best free-kick takers in Scotland so I’d be stupid not to try and utilise that.
“He stays behind and I want to use his experience. His technical ability has blown me away.
“He can take a bad touch and still ping the ball in the top bin and you wonder how he’s done it.
“Me and Marvin Bartley genuinely find ourselves applauding at some of his finishes in training.
“I’d hope he can stay in Scotland and find a club soon. I don’t have the budget for a Leigh Griffiths and I have a duty of care to players like Bruce Anderson as well.
“I think he enjoyed his spell in Australia.
“But I think he’d do a very good job for someone in Scotland.
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“He’s certainly welcome here as long as he wants to be here.
“And if anyone needs a recommendation, all they have to do is call me and I’ll give them my honest opinion. He now needs match sharpness to play games of football.”
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