Leigh Griffiths has to win back the trust of Celtic ’s fans by performing.
Ange Postecoglou sent the striker on as a second half sub during Celtic’s 6-2 friendly drubbing at home to West Ham.
Griffiths received a mixed reception to say the least with the fans inside Celtic Park both booing and cheering his return to action.
It comes after the 30-year-old was cleared of any criminality after cops probed allegations he sent inappropriate social media messages to underage girls.
Griffiths was sent home early from the Hoops’ pre-season training base in Wales but is now back in the fold after being cleared by Police.
And Postecoglou is confident the Scotland international can get the supporters back onside if he produces the goods on the pitch in green and white.
But he was keen to stress that the fans will make up their own minds and he wouldn’t dream of telling what to think or how to react.
“That’s going to be down to Leigh and his performances,” he said. “If he works hard at training and produces the kind of football he can, scoring goals, I’m sure the crowd will get behind him.
“I won’t be telling the Celtic supporters anything. They’ve followed this club a lot longer than I’ve been here.
“My job is to produce a team they’re proud of and we let them down today.
“Maybe it is a big challenge for him but that’s what he wanted. He didn’t have to come back.
“He wanted to come back and play for the club again. He wanted to contribute.
“When you make that decision, you embrace everything that comes along with it.”
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