Watt Backs Shankland to Regain Form

Tony Watt possesses considerable insight into the pressures associated with playing for Hearts. In 2016, at the age of 22, he joined the club on loan, brought in as the primary forward for a team aiming for a European qualification spot. However, his time there did not unfold as anticipated. After an encouraging start, he managed to score only one goal in 17 appearances, leading to his loan period being concluded prematurely in January. Notably, this record precisely matches Lawrence Shankland’s performance this season. The Hearts captain is currently experiencing an uncharacteristically unproductive spell, but Watt has expressed confidence in his eventual success. “His all-round play is excellent,” the current Motherwell forward remarked on the Scottish Football Podcast. “He holds the ball up, he creates chances for other people. It’s just a case of the manager showing him belief and him just resetting and hitting the target again every time he can. He’ll score goals, he’s a goal scorer and that’s the way he has always been. He’ll come back strong.” Hearts requires their key offensive player to start scoring once more. Following a promising beginning under new head coach Neil Critchley, the team’s momentum has dwindled, marked by defeats to Kilmarnock, Heidenheim, and Rangers. Nevertheless, Watt has observed enough in the team’s displays to encourage Hearts supporters. He stated, “I think the signs are positive coming out of Tynecastle. Midweek, by all accounts, they were supposed to have been on top for the majority of the game against a Bundesliga team. They won at St Johnstone and they were unlucky against Killie the game before. If they keep ticking along at this pace, I think they’ll be okay, it will take them time just to get to the new manager’s ways.”