DAVE MACKAY has seen Leigh Griffiths improve year on year to stake a claim to being Scotland’s most dangerous striker.
The St Johnstone captain knows the Perth defence will have to shut him out if they’re to claim their first clean sheet of the season at Celtic Park.
Ronny Delia’s men are hurting after the traumatic defeat from Malmo ended their Champions League ambitions and Mackay, 35, knows St Johnstone will have to be wary of a Celtic side desperate to avoid more turmoil.
Mackay, who like Griffiths has Livingston and Dundee on his CV, recalled: “The first season he came through at Livi, Leigh was used mostly as a sub.
“Then he scored a lot of goals when he got his chance. He was a bit raw but he was a finisher.
“He’s improving his hold-up play. His movement has always been good and nine times out of 10 if he gets a chance, he scores.
“I think Derek McInnes was close to bringing him in here a couple of times when he was manager. I can remember speaking about it but it never quite happened.
“A few years ago we would have had a chance of getting him but not nowadays, he’s kicked on.
“When Leigh was at Livingston and Dundee he had a lot to improve on. But he always worked very hard in training. It was maybe off the park that he had a few issues.
“But he seems to be maturing. He’s part of the Scotland squad and he’s Celtic’s main striker.”
Mackay is well aware of the flak Celtic have endured after their Malmo defeat.
He said: “I think Celtic will be fired up because of what happened on Tuesday night. That defeat and going out of the Champions League would have been devastating.
“We were hurting after losing to Alashkert in Europe but it is even worse at a club like Celtic with the money involved.
“We all know the club is desperate to get into the Champions League. These preliminary games are huge for them financially because they don’t qualify automatically.
“And it would have helped every Premiership club if they’d got to the group stages. I’m sure there are a few disappointed chairmen now that they won’t get a wee windfall.
“The defeat could work to our advantage – but it could have the opposite effect. The league is their main priority now.
“Sometimes when a team is wounded it’s the worst time to play them. Hopefully that’s not the case. But we’ll be ready for them coming right at us from the start.”
While loan signing Darnell Fisher can’t face Celtic today, his arrival suggests Mackay will be playing a central defensive role this term.
“It’s never been discussed with the manager. It’s not nailed on,” he said.
“With another right-back coming in it might be the case but I’m still available there if needed.
“You have to read the game more from centre-back. The quickest players are normally wingers. Just look at Michael O’Halloran – he can make full-backs look stupid.
“When you’re playing at centre-half it’s easier because you’re very rarely caught in a one v one situation. You can give yourself a yard or two.
“I do miss being more involved in the game and the attacking side of it but I also enjoy just concentrating on being a defender.
“I signed for Dundee as a centre-half. It was injuries that saw me change to full-back. I played well and then stayed there.
“Full-back is a young man’s position so I would imagine the switch would prolong my career. Hopefully that will be the case.
Assessing the challenge which awaits in Glasgow’s East End, he said: “We’ve gone to Celtic Park before and beaten them.
“You expect to be busy and to be hanging on for dear life at times.
“But last year when we won with a Danny Swanson goal it was one of the most comfortable games I’ve had against Celtic in terms of the chances they had.
“I came off thinking that was alright, whereas we’ve got results in the past and it’s been a case of ‘how did we do that?’ We had been battered.
“You need a bit of luck but if you play well you can give yourselves a chance.”
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