FORMER Celtic star Kris Commons believes his former teammate Leigh Griffiths could still be an asset to top-flight teams if he “applies himself.”

The one-time Scotland international’s days at Celtic are over after being released by the Parkhead club with six months left on his contract. 

Commons played with Griffiths between 2014 and 2016 and he admits there is something clearly up with his attitude.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Commons said: “In Leigh Griffiths’ case, you’re now looking at every person he’s worked under over the past seven or so years stating that he’s not behaved like a professional. I’m sorry, but they can’t all be wrong.

“We’ve had Ronny Deila, Neil Lennon, Brendan Rodgers and Steve Clarke saying it. Now Ange Postecoglou and James McPake are reading off the same script. 

"Leigh is 31 now. I was about his age when I had my best season in football and won Player of the Year. Instead, he is damaged goods. 

“Listen you’ve got to have huge sympathy for anyone who has endured the kind of mental health issues he’s had. He went through hell.

“But you can’t use that as an excuse for all the fitness problems and injuries he’s suffered for so long. It points to something else behind the scenes as to why it’s not happening for him as a professional footballer.”

Griffiths has scored 123 goals for The Hoops but, prior to his loan to Dundee, had not started for the Premiership club since a 2-1 home loss to St Mirren in January last year. 

He also wrote his name into the international history books with two free-kicks against England in a 2-2 draw in 2017. 

His best goalscoring season for Celtic came in the 2015-16 season under Ronny Deila when he racked up 40 goals in 51 appearances. 

Commons added: “The fall from grace from him scoring those two goals for Scotland against England to where he is now is just remarkable. 

“It’s not down to bad form and not scoring. It’s purely down to a lack of application Monday to Friday. 

“He now can’t get into a team. And, on the rare occasion he is, he’s just not scoring goals.

“I shared a dressing room with him and I was close with him – but not to the extent that I knew everything he was up to the minute he left Lennoxtown. 

“He was the sort of guy who’d walk onto a training ground without any warm-up and start blasting balls into the net. He loved scoring goals. And as long as he was doing that in a game, it was hard to pick fault.”

Despite his criticisms, Commons still believes Griffiths can offer something. 

He pointed to former Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon as the perfect example for Griffiths to follow. 

He said: “What’s beyond argument is that he has achieved a lot in football. He’s in the top 20 of Celtic’s all-time goalscorers. He’s won loads of trophies. He scored those two iconic free- kicks for his country. 

“He was quick, his movement was good, he was exceptional in the air for quite a small guy. He was physical, was lethal on free kicks, he could finish and he knew how to roll his sleeves up. He also had supreme confidence in his own ability.

“But it could have amounted to so much more. He should be in the peak of his career. Yet it feels like he’s had more lives than a cat and they’ve now run out. 

“No matter what anyone says, I don’t feel it’s too late for him to still do something, even if that’s not going to be at Celtic or Dundee. 

“Look at Craig Gordon – two years out of the game and considering a career in punditry. Since then he’s won an unbeaten treble at Celtic, been outstanding for Hearts for two seasons and could play in a World Cup just before his 40th birthday. 

“Leigh could still have three years at the top level if he applies himself. The problem is that it’s no longer just about his talent. Managers now feel that they can’t rely on him.”