Watt’s still not at full on power

Tony Watt reckons he was out of sight out of mind in England last season – and the fact people think he’s now at the top of his game proves it.

The striker was a late call-up into the Scotland squad last week to replace Leigh Griffiths on the back of an impressive start to the season on loan at Hearts.

But Watt insists he hasn’t yet come close to the form he was in for Charlton in the Championship and the praise he’s getting is a bit premature.

The 22-year- old said: “People say, ‘He’s doing well, he has turned a corner’ but I’m not doing as well as I did at times last season.

“People don’t watch you in England, they don’t recognise how well you’re doing. It’s out of sight out of mind.

“I know there’s another level to come from me so I’m not worried. As long as I can keep mentally right I will be fine.

“I chose Hearts because I wanted to go somewhere to win games and also wanted to be close to my family.

“I wanted stability for me and my girlfriend and I came back up here because I wanted to be in familiar surroundings again.

“I had offers in the English Championship and if I’d waited there would have been more.

“There is more money down there. But it’s not about the money, it’s about the football.

“I don’t care about anything else, I just want to play.”

Watt got himself off the mark for the Jambos at Partick Thistle last weekend, unlucky the quality of his play in previous games hadn’t seen a return.

But it had clearly been enough for Gordon Strachan who called him up ahead of Ross McCormack for tonight’s qualifier in Malta.

He said: “The gaffer put me in the squad earlier in the year and I must have put something in his head if he has called me up again.

“When I was with Scotland in the past I didn’t feel out of my depth. If I thought I was out my depth there would be no point in turning up.”