I reckon there is as much truth in this "homesick" spin as there was in Dale Stephens wanting to move back "north". My guess he feels he is better than L1 (true) and wants to get out of the madhouse (don't blame him). For their part the club are keen to get his wages off the books and rid themselves of an unpredictable negative influence in the dressing room.
I reckon there is as much truth in this "homesick" spin as there was in Dale Stephens wanting to move back "north". My guess he feels he is better than L1 (true) and wants to get out of the madhouse (don't blame him). For their part the club are keen to get his wages off the books and rid themselves of an unpredictable negative influence in the dressing room.
I don't know, Watt has been putting some soppy tweets out about his Mrs. who lives up there, and a few about it being difficult away from home or whatever.
Don't get me wrong - honestly, I think 'suck it up and honour the contract you signed' but I do believe that he's homesick. Stephens was clearly him being shipped out before he left on a free, which I think he was always going to do.
Not in the know or anything, but I've a feeling Tony Watt is actually very well liked by the players but he falls out with our clown like managerial appointments, which is quite easy to understand.
Not in the know or anything, but I've a feeling Tony Watt is actually very well liked by the players but he falls out with our clown like managerial appointments, which is quite easy to understand.
I would agree, but his fallouts elsewhere suggest that in this case a lot of the "blame" comes down to him
I reckon there is as much truth in this "homesick" spin as there was in Dale Stephens wanting to move back "north". My guess he feels he is better than L1 (true) and wants to get out of the madhouse (don't blame him). For their part the club are keen to get his wages off the books and rid themselves of an unpredictable negative influence in the dressing room.
I don't know, Watt has been putting some soppy tweets out about his Mrs. who lives up there, and a few about it being difficult away from home or whatever.
Don't get me wrong - honestly, I think 'suck it up and honour the contract you signed' but I do believe that he's homesick. Stephens was clearly him being shipped out before he left on a free, which I think he was always going to do.
Agree, I think there is at least SOME truth in the story. I doubt it's the whole story, but don't think it's entirely fabricated either.
There's a lot of talk on here about him needing to knuckle down and work hard. I think it's more than that, I think it's him needing to settle down and listen, take coaching, learn the game, movement, and patterns of play better. His complete lack of desire to pass can be infuriating. That's something that needs to be coached into him.
To be fair, he's still only 22. He had A LOT at a very, very young age, including moving away from home at 18. Some (mostly foreign players coming in to Britain) are mature enough to handle that, others aren't. I think it's fair to say he's struggled with it, whether it's homesickness or just the ability to settle at one club.
Can't remember when/where it was exactly, but didn't Katrien once use Tony as an example of network success? Something like 'but without the network, we wouldn't have players like Tony Watt at Charlton'
Tony played and scored bugger all for us, loaned out twice, we were relegated and he's leaving for nothing. Thank God for the network eh?
I reckon there is as much truth in this "homesick" spin as there was in Dale Stephens wanting to move back "north". My guess he feels he is better than L1 (true) and wants to get out of the madhouse (don't blame him). For their part the club are keen to get his wages off the books and rid themselves of an unpredictable negative influence in the dressing room.
I don't know, Watt has been putting some soppy tweets out about his Mrs. who lives up there, and a few about it being difficult away from home or whatever.
Don't get me wrong - honestly, I think 'suck it up and honour the contract you signed' but I do believe that he's homesick. Stephens was clearly him being shipped out before he left on a free, which I think he was always going to do.
Agree, I think there is at least SOME truth in the story. I doubt it's the whole story, but don't think it's entirely fabricated either.
There's a lot of talk on here about him needing to knuckle down and work hard. I think it's more than that, I think it's him needing to settle down and listen, take coaching, learn the game, movement, and patterns of play better. His complete lack of desire to pass can be infuriating. That's something that needs to be coached into him.
To be fair, he's still only 22. He had A LOT at a very, very young age, including moving away from home at 18. Some (mostly foreign players coming in to Britain) are mature enough to handle that, others aren't. I think it's fair to say he's struggled with it, whether it's homesickness or just the ability to settle at one club.
Watt was only discovered aged 15, and he still seems to play the same way, the raw kid with talent, who hasn't been coached to play in a team. He really needs to stay somewhere, and get taught properly how to be an all round striker, and not the kid who plays his own individual game
Disappointing at 2 levels but there are two positives.
Disappointing in terms of the net contribution to the club a) financially with funds not being available to strengthen the squad while we will no doubt be paying a part of his salary b) where he clearly has the ability to be a very good player indeed who could have contributed notably to our performances
However at least the "On going Watts is he leaving, is he playing, is he training, is he fighting saga" has gone for the season.
Equally it has to be common sense a guy who has bounced around 7 clubs and their different locations across 3 countries in 2 - 3 years under heaven knows how many coaches finds somewhere to settle to rebuild his career.
He needs to get his head down with his family, get some stability in his life and get his career sorted out or he and it will all too soon be history.
I really hope he can do just that. I hate seeing such natural talent frittered away.
Think it's odd that he needs to move to kick on he was one of our best players for half a season then struggled in a shitshow of a team for the start of last season and played no worse than our other strikers.
Sure he wasn't consistent but I'd always be a bit more excited about a team including Watt than one without.
Real shame. I was hoping that Slade would be the type to get him to knuckle down and get the best out of him. Oozing talent but is sadly wasting it. For his sake I hope he hits it off at Hearts. I have my doubts.
Never expected to see him play for us in League one
A fantastic, brilliant talent, but total arsehole by most accounts. I think its a case of too much water under the bridge and he has pissed off too many people at the club, I hope someone at Hearts gives him a good shake, and then maybe we will see his full potential.
Last week the rumour was that Watt had gone AWOL from the Austria trip. If that is true and (the source was very unreliable : - ) ) then what?
If you are generous to him maybe he was homesick and needed to be with his girlfriend/family in Scotland. We made the best of a bad situation and moved him on quickly after it became clear he wasn't going to be any good to us
If are less generous then he tried to engineer a move and/or fell out with Slade and he's got his way/Slade has put his foot down and outed him.
For the third time in his Charlton career he's been loaned out rather than sold which does seem very odd. What is preventing Hearts from buying him or even taking him on a free?
Does Katrien still believe she'll get a fee or was the deal with Standard, already the subject of accusations from new Standard owner, so complicated or involving other payments (and that begs the question to whom) that he can't simply be moved on.
On a personal level I hope he is OK and he can settle down in Scotland and be the player we all know he COULD be, for his sake if no one elses.
On a club level just another weird (meaning weird) episode in the dysfunctional life of this dysfunctional regime.
Hearts could hand former Celtic striker Tony Watt a return to Scottish football after holding talks with Charlton Athletic over a loan move.
Reports in London yesterday suggested that Charlton had given the switch the green light on 'compassionate grounds' because of Watt's desire to move closer to his family north of the border.
However, it is understood that, although Hearts are hopeful of concluding a deal for the 22-year-old, discussions have not yet reached an advanced stage and work remains to be done if they are to clinch the player's signature.
Watt, whose time at Celtic was characterised by his winning goal in the Champions League win over Barcelona in 2012, had loan spells with both Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers last season and made his full Scotland debut as a late substitute in March's 1-0 friendly defeat to the Czech Republic.
That international bow came just days after Scotland assistant Mark McGhee had branded the marksman as someone with 'unbelievable ability' but 'one of these boys who is not fit enough; he doesn't train hard enough'.
H-E-A-R-T-S if you cannae spell it this is what it says Hearts, Hearts glorious Hearts, it's down at tynecastle they bide,the talk o the toon are the boys in maroon and auld reekie supports them wi pride!
If he signs for the JTs then he really is desperate to get back up the road
Someone on the Hearts forum described Watt as a "Griffiths-like" signing for them.
To compare Tony Watt's ability to the ability of Leigh Griffiths is an insult to the former. Griffiths couldn't get in Wolves' League one yet Watt could play in the prem.
Comments
Don't get me wrong - honestly, I think 'suck it up and honour the contract you signed' but I do believe that he's homesick. Stephens was clearly him being shipped out before he left on a free, which I think he was always going to do.
Watt definitely struggles with authority, discipline & fitness, so let him go.
If we are to succeed on the field, we need a squad of dedicated professionals and I regret Watt isn't.
So Vetokele, Cousins, JBG, Pope & Watt gone.
Texeira, Bauer & Lookman remain. (possibly Harriot as well).
There's a lot of talk on here about him needing to knuckle down and work hard. I think it's more than that, I think it's him needing to settle down and listen, take coaching, learn the game, movement, and patterns of play better. His complete lack of desire to pass can be infuriating. That's something that needs to be coached into him.
To be fair, he's still only 22. He had A LOT at a very, very young age, including moving away from home at 18. Some (mostly foreign players coming in to Britain) are mature enough to handle that, others aren't. I think it's fair to say he's struggled with it, whether it's homesickness or just the ability to settle at one club.
Tony played and scored bugger all for us, loaned out twice, we were relegated and he's leaving for nothing. Thank God for the network eh?
Watt was only discovered aged 15, and he still seems to play the same way, the raw kid with talent, who hasn't been coached to play in a team. He really needs to stay somewhere, and get taught properly how to be an all round striker, and not the kid who plays his own individual game
Disappointing in terms of the net contribution to the club a) financially with funds not being available to strengthen the squad while we will no doubt be paying a part of his salary b) where he clearly has the ability to be a very good player indeed who could have contributed notably to our performances
However at least the "On going Watts is he leaving, is he playing, is he training, is he fighting saga" has gone for the season.
Equally it has to be common sense a guy who has bounced around 7 clubs and their different locations across 3 countries in 2 - 3 years under heaven knows how many coaches finds somewhere to settle to rebuild his career.
He needs to get his head down with his family, get some stability in his life and get his career sorted out or he and it will all too soon be history.
I really hope he can do just that. I hate seeing such natural talent frittered away.
Sure he wasn't consistent but I'd always be a bit more excited about a team including Watt than one without.
A fantastic, brilliant talent, but total arsehole by most accounts. I think its a case of too much water under the bridge and he has pissed off too many people at the club, I hope someone at Hearts gives him a good shake, and then maybe we will see his full potential.
Don't hold your breath though...
Last week the rumour was that Watt had gone AWOL from the Austria trip. If that is true and (the source was very unreliable : - ) ) then what?
If you are generous to him maybe he was homesick and needed to be with his girlfriend/family in Scotland. We made the best of a bad situation and moved him on quickly after it became clear he wasn't going to be any good to us
If are less generous then he tried to engineer a move and/or fell out with Slade and he's got his way/Slade has put his foot down and outed him.
For the third time in his Charlton career he's been loaned out rather than sold which does seem very odd. What is preventing Hearts from buying him or even taking him on a free?
Does Katrien still believe she'll get a fee or was the deal with Standard, already the subject of accusations from new Standard owner, so complicated or involving other payments (and that begs the question to whom) that he can't simply be moved on.
On a personal level I hope he is OK and he can settle down in Scotland and be the player we all know he COULD be, for his sake if no one elses.
On a club level just another weird (meaning weird) episode in the dysfunctional life of this dysfunctional regime.
Reports in London yesterday suggested that Charlton had given the switch the green light on 'compassionate grounds' because of Watt's desire to move closer to his family north of the border.
However, it is understood that, although Hearts are hopeful of concluding a deal for the 22-year-old, discussions have not yet reached an advanced stage and work remains to be done if they are to clinch the player's signature.
Watt, whose time at Celtic was characterised by his winning goal in the Champions League win over Barcelona in 2012, had loan spells with both Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers last season and made his full Scotland debut as a late substitute in March's 1-0 friendly defeat to the Czech Republic.
That international bow came just days after Scotland assistant Mark McGhee had branded the marksman as someone with 'unbelievable ability' but 'one of these boys who is not fit enough; he doesn't train hard enough'.
If he signs for the JTs then he really is desperate to get back up the road
To compare Tony Watt's ability to the ability of Leigh Griffiths is an insult to the former. Griffiths couldn't get in Wolves' League one yet Watt could play in the prem.