This is an excerpt from this week's Claret and Amber Alert, a free Motherwell newsletter written by Graeme McGarry that goes out every Thursday at 6pm. To sign up, click here.
I realise that the phrase ‘Tony Watt is a no-brainer’ can be taken in a couple of different ways, so let me be clear at the outset that I am referring to the rather controversial loan deal that has brought him back to Fir Park this week.
‘Where I was always going to end up’, proclaimed the bold Tony on social media. If indeed he had always intended to return to Motherwell, it would make some of his conduct around the time of leaving the club first time around and when playing against his former side for Dundee United somewhat ill-advised, but that was then, and this was now.
There’s nowt as fickle as football fans, let’s not forget. My eldest son Jack, who is 13, reacted to the news by hissing back at me with clear disdain that Watt was ‘still a snake’. By that evening, he was bellowing a lusty chorus of ‘Tony, Tony Watt’ over the PlayStation chat to his pals.
If Watt is to make an immediate impact and help mitigate the dearth of creativity in this Motherwell side since the departure of Blair Spittal, then all that enmity between the parties will be forgotten.
I was at Tannadice for one of the games he played against Motherwell the season after he made the switch to Tayside, and some of the songs and abuse being dished out to him were more than a tad distasteful, shall we say. And not only from Jack.
So, it works both ways, and when looking at his signing purely from a football perspective, it makes perfect sense.
As I mentioned, the team have looked rather toothless and in the opening games of the season without Spittal’s nous. The midfield balance has been off, with no clear link to the attackers. Watt was an expert at bringing those two areas of the team together during his first spell at the club, albeit in a different formation and often coming in off the left side.
His hold-up play is good, he is strong, skilful, and while not overly prolific, can also score goals. Given the ongoing injury crisis that has been heightened this week by the news of a six-week layoff for new striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, the signing of Watt then should hopefully help to ease the impact of the Australian’s absence.
There is of course the age-old issue that has plagued Watt around his attitude and application. No one disputes that the talent is there, but for whatever reason, he has been unable to effectively showcase it on a consistent basis throughout his career.
Except, arguably, when he was at Fir Park first time around. He seemed at home at Motherwell. He and all his flaws were embraced by the club, and the fans, and it seemed to bring the best out in him.
Perhaps that is why it stung so much when he moved on for what many supporters would view as a ‘peer’ competitor, certainly in this day and age. But to play devil’s advocate, the wages that were on offer from Dundee United were way beyond what he was earning at Fir Park, and what he could ever have hoped to have earned within the Motherwell wage structure.
Watt has a duty to his family to eek out the most he possibly can financially from his career, and to borrow a phrase from the top of the article, the move was a no-brainer for him at that stage. We can take issue with how it was all handled of course, but any one of us faced with the choice that was before him would likely have come to the same decision.
I realise I may be in a minority then, but I am more than happy with the signing of Watt. If he can knuckle down and produce the sort of form he showed for the most part when at Motherwell previously, then I am sure all will be forgiven and many more naysayers will come around.
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Despite his reputation as a disruptive influence and for displays of arrogance, away from the pitch he is actually self-effacing and even comes across with a little humility. He has belief in himself, absolutely, but there’s nothing wrong with footballers having a bit of confidence about them.
It’s a minor annoyance and something of a pet peeve of mine that he won’t be able to play against United, with many countries allowing loan players to play against their parent clubs throughout Europe with no problems, but there is no doubt in my mind that he will be a valuable asset to Motherwell throughout the season.
My prediction is that 'the snake' will find a way to charm his way back into the affections of the Fir Park support.
