Celtic ace Leigh Griffiths in defiant social media message after doubt's over Parkhead future

The striker has been dropped from the club’s pre-season squad for French camp

Celtic star Leigh Griffiths has taken a defiant stance after it emerged on Saturday evening that he is set to miss the club's training camp in France.

Neil Lennon has taken the decision to drop the striker from the travelling party, the player having returned from lockdown in poor physical condition.

Griffiths was absent as the squad travelled south to a camp at Loughborough University and has been given a personal fitness plan to bring him up to speed for when the team return from France where they are scheduled to play three matches against Nice, Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain.

Leigh Griffiths has sent a defiant message over Celtic drop. Picture: SNS

The 29-year-old had developed a fine partnership in attack with Odsonne Edouard before the football shutdown. It was a return to form for the Scotland international after he missed much of the 2018/19 campaign having been granted special leave to focus on mental health issues.

Griffiths posted a defiant message, famous from Rocky Balboa, on his Instagram account with the caption: “So many knockdowns, I’ll rise up and keep challenging those who doubt.”

The message read: “Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done.”

There have been further reports of Celtic making a move for Israeli striker Shon Weissman, although no bid has been made.

The Scottish Sun report Griffiths’ Celtic career is far from over with Lennon reassuring the player he can work his way back into his plans.

The player has proven himself capable of overcoming challenges and proving doubters wrong. On top of that he scores goals, no matter the team he plays for. In his last outing, he hit a hat-trick against St Mirren.