FORMER Celtic striker Tony Watt admits the upcoming campaign is the most crucial in his stuttering career.
The frontman, who has had training spells with Aberdeen and Dundee in recent months, is a free agent after departing Belgian Second Division side OH Leuven in February.
Watt, who has also had stints at Lierse and Standard Liege, has now been linked with St Johnstone.
The player accepts it’s now time to stand up and be counted – or risk being lost to the game.
He said: “I’m 24 now and at that age where I can’t waste another year.
“The last two years probably would be seen as a waste. I’m not a young lad anymore. I need to add more games to my CV.
“I just want to come back now, play my football and get as many games as possible because people are judging me without playing games.
“I want them to be judging me when I’m playing games. I don’t think I’m far away from having a club. I’ll stay in the UK, I think.
“People know what I can do, I don’t really feel like I need to sell myself because I reckon if somebody wants me, they’ll get me.
“The hunger is there, it’s not been in question, a couple of bad decisions in terms of where I’ve went have set me back a year or two.
“But that’s football, I’ll just need to prolong my career a year or two at the end and get back that lost time.”
Watt took the spotlight at the age of 18 with his winning goal in Celtic’s 2-1 triumph over Barcelona in 2012.
Ronny Deila moved him on a couple of years later and he has struggled to recapture that early form. As well as his spells in Belgium, he has been with Charlton, Cardiff City, Blackburn Rovers and Hearts.
Watt added: “I’ve never once come out and said I’m a Champions League player or I should be No 1 for Scotland.
“People set goals for you, but my goals are fine. The people who are negative don’t really bother me, their opinion means nothing. The people I’ve made proud will always be with me.”
DON’T miss ‘Celtic: The History Bhoys’, the celebration of Brendan Rodgers’ two treble-winning seasons at the club – PLUS the clean sweep years of Jock Stein, 1966/67 and 1968/69, and Martin O’Neill, 2000/01. Buy last season’s production and get a 16-page update on the Hoops’ second successive unforgettable campaign absolutely FREE! That’s a 116-page glorious souvenir of the club’s most unforgettable seasons. Written by ALEX GORDON and crammed with over 150 photographs and all the statistics of all five of the most spectacular years in Celtic’s proud heritage. Priced at only £6.95 plus £3.95 postage and packing, you can order your copy at:
http://www.langsyneshop.co.uk/celtic-the-history-bhoys?filter_name=History%20bhoys
