Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths admits he feared for his future earlier this season

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has revealed he feared he may have to move from the club earlier this season in order to play regular football.

Griffiths struggled to break into Ronny Deila’s team in the early stages of the manager’s time in charge at Celtic Park, following the Norwegian's arrival last June.

But the former Dundee, Wolves and Hibernian favourite conceded he had to take advice from Deila and his assistant John Collins to earn a run in the team.

His chance came at the turn of the year, and the 24-year-old has scored 11 of his 15 goals this season since late January.

I was sick of sitting on the sidelines and in the stands, and I just wondered with the new manager coming in that maybe it wasn’t for me.

Griffiths said: “I think as the season got on especially after the turn of the year, the manager gave me a run of games and I managed to start finding the net again when my confidence was low.

“At the start of the season I wasn’t playing, I was getting frustrated and there was talk about me going out on loan, but I always wanted to stay and prove my point. I think the manager has seen that now after the turn of the year, and given me a run of games and I'm scoring goals.

“I was sick of sitting on the sidelines and in the stands, and I just wondered with the new manager coming in that maybe it wasn’t for me and it was time to move but since the turn of the year I’ve hit bang on form.

“We had a meeting, me, John Collins and the gaffer. We had a meeting in his room. He just told me things to work on if I wanted to get back in the team. I’ve just put my head down and worked hard and I think he has seen that and that’s why he gave me a chance.”

Griffiths grabbed a hat-trick in Wednesday's 4-1 win over Kilmarnock, just four days after opening the scoring in a 1-1 draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

'Organised'

And the Highlanders provide the opposition again this weekend when the side's clash in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, live on Sky Sports, and Griffiths believes the recent meeting could work in Celtic's favour.

"We played them up there and I think both teams would admit they were poor," he said. "It was a poor pitch, obviously with a bit of wind as well so I think come Sunday the game will be a lot different. The pitch will be a lot better and both teams will try and play and try to get the win.

“They are very well organised and John Hughes has got them playing nice football. Sunday will be no different. It will be a close game but hopefully we can edge it.”

Griffiths insists there is no talk of winning the treble among the squad, as they go into Sunday’s game with Celtic leading the Scottish Premiership by eight points and having already won the League Cup.

Celtic have to play Dundee twice, Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Dundee United and Inverness again before the end of the season, with the possibility of returning to Hampden for a cup final appearance.

Griffith said: “I think the closer we get, the games get harder and the pressure mounts. But we as a club and players, we have to embrace that and take it on board. If we want to win the treble we know it’s going to be difficult but we’ve got the players here to do it.

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“We just take it one game at a time. We’ve still got a lot of games left to be played and like I said, each one gets difficult.

"We’ve still got Aberdeen left to play and Inverness again after the split so the games coming up especially in the top six are all tight. We’ve not beaten any of them by a wide margin apart from Dundee United. We’re looking forward to it and it’s a good challenge for us.”