Watt had Messi situation but it has all turned out for the best
to the gym every day and got myself a job. It was an office job with North Lanarkshire Council just to get myself out the house.
“It was an apprenticeship and there was nothing for me to do. I sat at my desk every day bored. If I was still there I’d probably be sitting on my backside now doing nothing.
“But I was sacked for going down to Liverpool on trial.
“I had a phone call the day I was sacked. I told them I had to go and they told me to choose one or the other. I said, ‘see you later then’.
“I had to make a choice and football obviously came first. I went down to Liverpool for two or three days. But I couldn’t go down to a few teams because of the bad weather.
“The schoolteachers at St Andrew’s all asked me, ‘What are you leaving school for?’ I told them I wanted to be a football player and they all laughed. So it’s good when people don’t believe in you and you prove them wrong.
“As a young boy kicking a ball about you watch your heroes on television and all you want is to play for Celtic.
“I am here and hopefully I can keep going.”
Yet, Watt himself has admitted that while he was keen for a football career he has already exceeded all of his expectations.
“I spoke to my dad and I spoke to my old manager after Wednesday night’s game against Helsingborgs and I said, ‘Two years ago would you have expected all of this for me?’ and to be fair they both said ‘aye’. I thought no! But even my agent has told me since I was first playing that they believed I could go all the way.
“I just don’t get ahead of myself. It’s not about putting myself down, but being self-critical helps me become a better player. If I’m bad at something I’ll try to work to improve at it. I won’t say I’m brilliant at something when I’m not.”
The Parkhead side play Hibs this afternoon at Celtic Park and with no real title challenge expected this season, Lennon can afford to blood many of the younger players in the squad, especially now that he will have one eye on the forthcoming Champions League campaign.
And Watt is desper- ate for the chance to play as often as he can – and force his way into the Champions League squad.
“It’s the thing you love most and you want to go out and do as well as you can every week,” he said.
“Hopefully I can get the chance to keep going.
“I won’t be scared. I will try and drive at them [Barcelona] if I get the chance. Obviously I watch Barca on a Saturday and Sunday night on telly like everybody else.
“They are just different class. The last time we played Barcelona I think I was in a mate’s house across the road watching on TV.”