Griffiths: I'll be gutted if Ronny opts for Nad

Leigh Griffiths picked up his Premiership player of the month award then pondered the possibility of being dropped for rival Celtic striker Nadir Ciftci.

The Parkhead forward's penalty in the 2-1 defeat at Aberdeen on Saturday was his ninth of goal the season, five of which came in August league matches to win him the monthly trophy from the league sponsors.

However, the 25-year-old noted the return of Ciftci who was available for the first time in the league following a six-game domestic ban, making an appearance off the bench against the Dons.

The Turkish striker has yet to score since his summer move from Dundee United but boss Ronny Deila has preferred him to Griffiths in four of the six Champions League qualifiers and the Scotland forward spoke of a "dilemma'' for the Norwegian when the Hoops begin their Europa League campaign against Ajax in Amsterdam on Thursday night.

"Nadir is back from suspension so I think the gaffer has a bit of a dilemma on his hands,'' said Griffiths, after picking up his award at the club's Lennoxtown training complex.

"But if I keep scoring goals then it is going to be hard for him to leave me out.

"I would be gutted (if I was) but that is the manager's decision and he is the boss

"Nadir started the Champions League games and has got qualities.

"He is back from his domestic ban, he was training hard when he was suspended and he will be fresh.

"I played 90 minutes on Saturday but it is a new game now and if the gaffer decided to change things I would sit on the bench and wait to come on and do my bit.''

Griffiths' fine scoring form has come against a backdrop of off-field problems and he is hoping to escape potential Scottish Football Association punishment on two fronts.

The Leith-born Hibs fan was admonished last week after admitting singing a song with offensive lyrics about an ex-Hearts player, Rudi Skacel.

The incident happened in a pub before a Hearts-Hibs derby game at Tynecastle in March last year.

The Scottish FA issued an updated notice of complaint to Griffiths, alleging: "singing in public a song of an offensive, racist and/or discriminatory nature."

Asked if he was aware of when his SFA charge would be be dealt with, he said:

"No. I will leave that to upstairs and whoever deals with that. I will just concentrate on Ajax and trying to get three points for Celtic.''

Griffiths, though, admits he has no intention of going back to Tynecastle unless it is as a Celtic player.

"I am glad it is done and now I can concentrate on my football,'' he said.

"It was a stupid mistake that I won't be doing again. I have a learned a lot from it.

"It was a derby and it was heat of the moment. Safe to say I won't be going back to Tynecastle unless it is playing for Celtic.''

Griffiths could also be in trouble following his weekend criticism of referee Craig Thomson at Pittodrie.

After Dons defender Andrew Considine escaped with a yellow card for pulling him back inside the box to concede the penalty, Griffiths claimed Thomson would have sent a Celtic player off if it had happened in the other penalty area.

In a statement on Celtic's official website on Monday, the former Wolves player said: "I never said the referee was biased or not good at his job at all. I've got a good relationship with Craig and I have total respect for him as a referee and a man.''

Griffiths will focus on football until he hears differently.

He said: "I made a statement after the game and made another statement yesterday clarifying my position so until I hear back I will put it to the back of my head.''