Are Celtic players undervalued on the international stage?

The international break has highlighted how some national team managers under appreciate former and current Celtic players.

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan is a surprise to be seen to undervalue players donning the Hoops having managed Celtic for four years, but it seems he has overlooked an in-form Leigh Griffiths for Scotland’s crucial qualifiers.

Griffiths has scored eight goals in twelve appearances this season for Celtic and is the only player to play every game for Celtic this season. One reason for that is the domestic suspension to Ciftci but also because the Hoops striker is on blistering form.

However, Strachan opted to start Sunderland outcast Steven Fletcher for both games and gave Griffiths just 15 minutes against Georgia and was an unused substitute against Germany.

It’s strange that you would consider starting a player who is polarised from a Premier League side that is struggling for goals over someone who has a goal for every start this season (8). Griffiths could have stretched the German back-line and give Scotland an outlet by running in behind the defence. As well as all that Fletcher did do right on the night.

Fletcher’s ability to hold the ball up and get others involved is what Strachan selected him for, but his main support act, James Morrison couldn’t have been any further away from the Black Cats striker.

But isn’t a striker’s main job to score goals? And when you’re losing a game, surely you bring on a striker in good goal scoring form.

That brings me onto the next point, which is about the opposite side of the field and to a former Celtic man, Virgil van Dijk. He left a week ago and remained uncapped in a Dutch side that is leaking goals since their third-placed finish in last year’s World Cup.

The 24-year-old has Champions League and Europa League experience, yet only got called up to the Holland squad that can’t defend after their 1-0 defeat to Iceland, as a Southampton player.

He still didn’t feature in their 3-0 pummelling at the hands of Turkey, so when will he be internationally recognised. In my view, he’s better than both Bruma and de Vrij, Holland’s two starting centre-backs against Turkey. Van Dijk can bring leadership to the line-up, something which he developed playing alongside an inexperienced Denayer and helped develop the young Belgian.

It also seems Tom Rogic is being overlooked by the Socceroo’s manager, despite scoring two goals in their previous match having come off the bench. His Australian side are currently in action against Tajikistan and the Hoops midfielder came off the bench after 68 minutes.

Is this all a coincidence or are Celtic players undervalued on the international stage?