PROVING MISSION

Tony Watt is at a loss to explain his bad-boy image but the new Hearts striker is intent on altering perceptions before the latest campaign is done.

Signed on a season-long loan from Charlton Athletic, he initially shot to prominence when he broke through at Celtic in 2012 and went on to score the winning goal against Barcelona in the Champions League.

Still a teenager at the time, he was hailed as the next big thing, but since then he has been dogged by negativity, with coaches at club and international level questioning his fitness levels and his attitude.

Watt says the criticism is unfounded and having added Belgian sides Lierse and Standard Liege to a CV that also includes loan spells at Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers, the Scotland international is happy to rely on his talent to prove the snipers wrong.

“I think it’s unwarranted but people talk, that’s just a part of life,” he said. “The only people’s opinions that matter to me are the people I’m working with every day and my family. People can say whatever they want to say about me but, if you really look at it, my record, wherever I’ve been, has been alright. I’m not a 20-goal-a-season player, but I can bring that to my game.”

That goal against the stars of La Liga four years ago catapulted him to a new level of fame, which he admits was tough for a lad who had only been involved in the professional game for a couple of years to deal with, but he says that the stop-start nature of his career since has been due to a bit of bad luck, transfer embargoes and injuries, rather than big fall-outs with managers.

“If you want to be at a club like Celtic, you need to be mentally strong,” he added. “I can’t use any excuses for anything that’s happened. I just want to work hard and make sure people start talking differently about me.

“I think you learn more from the negatives. If everything is going well you are in a comfort zone, but when you are being attacked and attacked... Everyone is talking about this badboy reputation. It’s hard, but I don’t know where that has

“I went to Belgium totrytokickonbuti think it’s here that it will start… I can’t use any excuses for anything that’s happened. I just want to work hard and make sure people start talking differently about me.”

TONY WATT