Tony Watt admits that he has an image problem to overcome at Hearts.
The 22-year-old agreed a season long loan deal with the Edinburgh club for family reasons but has found his career shadowed by gossip and questions about his attitude.
Despite that obstacle there has never been a shortage of managers willing to take the former Celtic striker on board but as he prepares for life at Tynecastle he admits that he’s suffered from the gossips.
“Maybe I was a bad trainer when I was younger and maybe I wasn’t as professional as I’d liked to have been,” he told Press Association Sport.
“It is hard to shake these reputations off but I am doing my best to get rid of it. I want to score goals and I want to work hard, that is how I will change that reputation.
“I came back up the road to be closer to my family. They are my support and my life. They mean the most to me and are helping me through everything.
“It annoys me a little that people have an opinion about me but don’t really know me but I don’t listen to people on the outside. I just focus on what my family say to me.
“All this negativity in the press obviously frustrates you as most of it is lies but things are clearing up now and I’m happy about that. I’m more mature now but I don’t think I’m a different person.
“A lot of times during my career people have asked my agent what my attitude is like because they have heard things through the grapevine. That’s part of life but if my ability shows what I’m really made of here then everything that has gone before won’t matter any more.
“I want to show the world what I can do here at Hearts. Maybe I’ve got a bit of a reputation here in Scotland but I know I will show people what I’m capable of.”
Explaining his decision to swap London for a return to Coatbridge he added: “Every day I’ll be going home to the people who care most about me, to see my nephews running about and my girlfriend rather than sitting bored on my own for 12 hours a day. It will help keep me grounded.
“It is difficult being away. My family came down south sometimes but not all the time. Having that support network round about you is the most important thing.
“I don’t want to play football when I’m unhappy – it doesn’t do anything for me. I want to play football happy and having my family beside me means more than anything else.”