Leigh Griffiths reckons it will take "a right good team" to stop Celtic's Treble mission.

 

The 24-year-old striker has, however, cautioned that the Hoops can take nothing for granted, although he does believe the club's momentum is significant as they chase down further silverware.

Ronny Deila's side have already claimed the League Cup following their win at Hampden earlier this month.

It is one box ticked off the list, while the league table currently makes pleasant viewing for the Celtic support.

It was always difficult to envisage that Aberdeen would maintain a genuine push for the championship all the way to May given the massive difference in resources between the Pittodrie side and Celtic.

Inverness Caley Thistle lie in wait next month in the Scottish Cup semi-final, and Griffiths, his manager's words of caution perhaps ringing in his ears, believes that while Celtic are firmly on course for a clean sweep, they need to maintain their focus.

He said. "The manager wants us to keep cool and take it game by game, but I think you have to appreciate how difficult a thing it is to do.

"There are still a lot of games to be played between now and the end of the season. But if we were to do it then it would send out a real statement.

"The gaffer came in and he made no secret of the fact that he had set his sights on winning all three domestic trophies that he could.

"The defeat to Inter Milan in the Europa League actually worked by giving us a wee kick up the backside.

"We feel that we could have done better, but when it was over we had to regroup and concentrate on the fact that there were still three trophies on offer.

"Making inroads in Europe will always be important to us at this club but being successful domestically is vital.

"If we could win a Treble and become only the fourth Celtic team to achieve that then I think we would be thrilled with it. I do think that it is going to take a right good team to stop us."

While Scotland have been busy this week with the challenge match against Northern Ireland and the European Championship qualifier against Gibraltar, Griffiths has been part of the small contingent at Lennoxtown who are free from international commitments.

The striker is keen to get himself back involved with Gordon Strachan's side, but is prepared to be patient as he awaits an opportunity.

"If I am not in the Scotland squad it is just a note to me that I need to work harder," he said.

"There is a lot of quality in the squad just now - they have Steven Fletcher, Jordan Rhodes and Steven Naismith in there, so I need to bide my time where Scotland is concerned."

Should Griffiths maintain the form he has shown of late with Celtic he will, however, make it difficult for Strachan to ignore him.

Of the 11 goals he has netted for Celtic this season, seven have come since the turn of the year. Having taken heed of his manager's advice to knuckle down, Griffiths has bought into the Deila doctrine and believes that he is now getting his reward.

He insists, though, that there is still more to come from him. He said: "I was brought here to score goals and, when the manager first came in and I wasn't playing, I was really disappointed.

"But since the turn of the year I have had a run of games in the team and I always feel if I get that I will score goals.

"When you are in the starting XI fairly regularly then you are able to build up your fitness, your touch is sharp, your eye for goal is sharp and if I am playing, I feel in myself that I will hit the target.

"There are games where I have been disappointed with my performance when I think I haven't held the ball up well enough.

"But I have tried hard to do what the manager wants me to do. When I got my chance I think I have been able to take it.

"I still think I can improve a lot. There are more goals in me between now and the end of the season."

Griffiths shares a car journey to Lennoxtown every day with Celtic captain Scott Brown.

Celtic's training ground has been conspicuously quieter with the midfielder currently with Strachan's side, but having suffered some adverse publicity this month with his antics on and off the park, Brown has scarcely been out of the headlines.

Griffiths, though, believes his commitment to his club is beyond question. He said: "You can see why he is captain for club and country."

"He is a big character in the dressing room, he keeps everyone going, but on matchdays you can see how focused he is.

"He wants to win everything and that kind of spirit rubs off on the rest of us."