Tony Watt scored twice today as Lierse lost 3-2 to Heerenveen in the Algarve.
The on loan Celtic striker netted a double in the final match of 2013, in a 3-0 win over Mechelen, and continued that form today when Lierse met the Dutch side.
Heerenveen opened the scoring on the half hour only for Watt to equalise with the hoops striker putting Lierse in front in the 65th minute.
The Dutch side, sitting fifth in Eredivisie, pulled a goal back before long term Celtic target Alfred Finnbogasson settled the match from the penalty spot.
Watt returned to train with Celtic over the new year period but flew out to Belgium in time to join Lierse at their training camp in the Algarve.
Celtic retain the option to cut the loan short this month but Neil Lennon has gone public with his view that it would be best for the striker to complete the season in Belgium.
Lierse are currently sitting in 12th place in the 16 team Jupiler League, just three points above the relegation zone.
Coach Stanley Menzo’s job has been under threat after a poor run of results but the derby win over Mechelen has bought the former Ajax keeper some time.
The league season resumes next Saturday with Lierse at home to Club Brugge with Watt looking a certain starter for that match.
After a difficult opening period in Belgium due to injury and suffering a ridiculous sending off the former Airdrie United striker is hoping for a regular run of matches to boost his prospects when he returns to Celtic in the summer.
Big week for Celtic strikers. Balde scores, Pukki scores AND Watt scores without getting sent off
best striker celtic have and the sent him out on loan tony watt
Totally agree mate
Why the dig about watt getting sent off ?
Eh, think it’s called humour pal.
I would have liked Tony back.
I believe he would have shown, how hungry he was to play and score.
Alas, it is not to be.
As absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Tony can play his part in the CL qualifiers.
why’s he no back where he’s needed
This loan is perfect for him. He’ll come back a better player and get his # 1 striker position.
Personally I think we already have our new Gary Hooper in our ranks…he just doesn’t know it yet.
Balde has the attributes in his locker to give defenses problems, Pukki is actually a decent footballer imo and Toni as we know can finish from almost anywhere.
A left back and more importantly a play maker is priority in this window imo.
We have to utilise our development squad more – they’ve played at a high level in the last few seasons with the Reserve Champions League set up now in place. Spending 1-3 million on youngsters that are no better than our own is not the answer.
I’d like to see Jackson Irvine get the nod next season instead of bringing in players like Rogic or this rumoured Egyptian fella. Seriously, If we’re ever to make another European final, then it will have to be home grown talent that have played together for years to do it, because we aint gonna buy our way there.
HH 1NL
Jtj,
There is no substitute for quality.
One swallow doesn’t make a summer, re
balde and pukki.
Hooper was a goalscorer.These 2 are not
goalscorers.
5M buys you a CL level poacher.Money
well spent, can make all the difference.
When your top goalscorer is a midfielder,
then we have a problem.
This is the most important signing we
should make in next 2 windows. As for
Izzy,he is playing really well,why replace
him ?
Yes,money isn’t always the solution.But
having experienced and quality players to
supplement your young players is the
ONLY way forward.
When does a 2-3m player become a 5-7 mill player…I’ll tell you when, when Celtic or any other team with money come chappin.
To say go out and buy a 5m pound striker and “vwallah” there your man is crazy. Finbogasson was bought for under a million 18 months ago for Heereveen.
Who’s to say if we missed out on Balde or Pukki at the start of the season then they wouldn’t of rose in price and it would be another “what if” from the Celtic fans as well.
We have more than enough strikers at the club…one of them will shine given time. We even have Holmbert Aron Fridjonsson available now as well.
If we spend 5+ on a striker I’ll be surprised and disappointed. And if anyone thinks Steven Fletcher is worth more than 4 million then they need their heads looked. Fletcher shoot us to European Glory? No chance! He’s mince!
Another LB is simply for cover not to replace…Izzy is my POTY so far this season…his assists have been priceless. A proper play maker is only to see if we can maybe start putting our strikers in more.
As for the young team…check teams like Porto and Ajax for example…they develop and sell and in the process go far in the CL etc…why don’t we? Our development squad has as much European experience as any in Europe but we’d rather spend 1-2 million on a foreign prospect, wtf’s that all about? The only chance we’ve got of reaching another Euro final is with a “Lisbon Lions” style team these days i.e. homegrown laddies that have played together since they were bairns.
Money rules the sport and we have to accept we don’t come in that bracket. Other teams don’t have the luxury of loaning out their young talent, hence why you see players like May, McKay and even Russel emerging so fast. Watt should of been the immediate replacement for Hooper and why not give Atajic a chance as well.
Crazy!!
HH 1NL
Jtj,
Thanks for.the reply.
To say we don’t need a striker is
beyond believe.
The market place dictates the price,us
having money is not a factor.
So if we fail in qualifiers, with the
strikers wev’e got, then that is okay.
This would be our biggest financial
nightmare.
A striker with pedigree,gives us a FAR
better chance.
Teams you mentioned, that do well
with young players,are exceptions to
the rule.
They have coaching centres that are
second to none.
Ajax attract worldwide young players,
as they are so successful in player
development.
Porto,have an advantage over us, as
they have their pick of the best South
American players.
You obviously don’t TRUST the
manager’s judgement re young players.
If they are good enough I am sure they
will get their chance.
What is CRAZY,is.if they are thrown into
CL qualifiers,fail and lose out on 25 M.
Thanks also for the reply m8,
Don’t get me wrong, I do actually understand what your saying and I do agree with you to a certain extent but what I’m saying is to sign a 4-6m striker is like conceding that our 3 previous “2 mill strikers” have already not cut the mustard, albeit Bangura’s Celtic career is over imo, I believe if we watched the 2 goals from last night along with the other goals Balde and Pukki have scored before we signed them then we would be optimistic that they could be the answer and still might.
I guess what I’m trying to say is I think that they don’t get the service, nor did Hooper at times – he could of had another 20-30 goals if someone had the vision to “put him in” more. He was a 1 on 1 specialist and we didn’t utilise enough.
Even the Balde n Pukki goals from last night were their own making – I feel a good play maker with an eye and pass like Naka could take a lot of the pressure of our Strikers by feeding them.
Also this 4-6 mill striker around 22-26 yrs old that CL quality…does he even exist because if he does we no chance of gettin him in front of the EPL – thats why we need to find another Hooper for 2-3m like we’re tryin to do – that’s my point.
The way Celtic are seeded in the CLQ we should be qualifying every season with what we have…its the group stages etc we need someone to step up!
HH Comrade
Watt needs to stay in Belgium and complete the transformation from a young man with some faults but undoubted ability to a mature individual who is going to work hard to be the best he possibly can be and always seeking to improve himself.
The signs over the last month are that he is perhaps now beginning this transformation.
I fails to see how this loan has been good for him?
The dick that manages Lierse slated his weight the week he arrived then benched him for weeks after finding the net as a late sub.
He’s the best young striker I have seen coming out of our youth setup since Nicholas,he has the Physique and pace to handle the SPFL and has already shown given the right service can score against real quality.
So what he’s got a big heid and a big mouth he was playing football up the Park 18 months prior to scoring the winner against Barca,he’s not had years of Conditioning or the same coaching from youth level that most young players have had by his age and so therefore allowances should have been made for the inevitable head swell after THAT goal.
Balde and Pukki have done very little so far to suggest that they will be anything more than mediocre?
Get him back I say or risk losing him in the Summer.
Watt will score goals no danger provided you play him through the middle and give him proper service…No danger.
If his name was Tony Van Watt we’d have bid £3m by now
Lol why did they let him go to that crap team surly there was better wots he going to learn there doesn’t make sense
Agree totally,craigbhoy.
It was a case of sending Tony to coventry.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Also hatchet man,Lawwell, likes the colour
of money.He probably got the best loan
fee,by sending TW their.
Personally, Partick would have been the
ideal place for big Tony.
There is a lot of rumour and speculation, a sort of whispering campaign about the Bhoy at times.
I am not about to start judging people I do not know.
Tony Watt quite clearly is a goalscorer, now you dont need to be Mourinho, or Pep to see that.
All this tripe about loaning him out to further his development is a wonderful excuse, but it is beginning to look like favourtism towards others.
Why not loan out Balde or Pukki then? because from what I have seen Tony Watt is better than both of them.
If its goals we want get Tony Watt back and give him as many games as Pukki has had.
Lenny has bought and had on loan far too man diddy strikers for the wages and transfer fees that have been spent its as blatant as that.
Send atajic to thistle, for second half of season. Would make perfect sense
I would send both McGeough and Atajic to Dundee Utd (on loan)as part of a deal to sign both GMS and Gauld as replacements for Sammy and Ledley.