Richard Early 
Mark Runnacles/Getty Images Sport
Brendan Rodgers is delighted following the return of Leigh Griffiths after being critical of his lack of professionalism outside of football.
Griffiths scored 40 goals last season, however since the signing of France Under-21 international, Moussa Dembele, the 26-year-old has struggled to get into the side.
Having played just 15 minutes of competitive football, in 2017, he has returned to full fitness after a frustrating injury lay-off and is in the squad to face Hamilton on Saturday.
Rodgers spoke to Celtic’s official website and said:
He’s had one very good season here and what I want to try and ensure is that it becomes five, six, seven seasons. The only way you can do that, is your approach to the game.
Leigh has been brilliant in that period. We took him out to make sure he was fit. It was partly my fault as well. What I was doing, because I want him to be involved so much, some of the times he was coming back he hadn’t maybe trained so much. I’d put him on the bench then he’d come off. He maybe wasn’t as fit as he should’ve been.
So we made a decision between us all – let’s break this cycle, get yourself fit. If you’re going to be here as a top player consistently then the approach needs to change a little and the gains will change a lot for you and make a big difference.
He’s done that and worked very hard these last couple of weeks. This week at training he’s been absolutely brilliant. We could’ve maybe put him on the bench last weekend but we just wanted to make sure he was right.
He’ll now be involved in the squad at the weekend which is great news so now it’s up to him.
Rodgers is the type of manager that will do everything he can to develop Griffiths into a player to compete with the favoured front-man and give him the chance to prove himself on the training ground before getting game-time.
If the Scottish international can gather his consistency from last season, he is sure to put pressure on the wanted Frenchman which will only help Celtic’s treble chase and a possible unbeaten domestic season.
The Hoops face Hamilton tomorrow at Celtic Park in the Scottish Premiership and kick-off is at 15:00.
