Stephen Robinson helped get Tony Watt ’s career back on track but he’s hoping the Dundee United hitman is not up and running this weekend.
The St Mirren gaffer got him on the straight and narrow after years of bouncing between clubs across the continent.
Watt was motoring for Motherwell until United snapped him up for a six-figure fee in January.
The frontman is battling back from injury and could face his former boss in Paisley tomorrow.
But Robinson said: “I hope he’s not back for the weekend, first and foremost! One more game without him would be nice.
“Tony is a lovely boy. The biggest thing for me was, when Tony came to Motherwell he thought he was working hard enough. He thought he was at his maximum – but he wasn’t. I think I pushed him, the staff pushed him, and he hit the ground running.
“The fans loved him. Tony wants to be loved and recognised for what he is but at the time he probably wasn’t pushing himself as much as he should have been for his talent.
“A lot of players wait for it to happen but you have to go and make it happen. Tony’s done that and he’s stepped it up.
“It’s nice to see he’s got his career. Back on track. He did very well for me at Motherwell and for Graham Alexander as well, and Dundee United came in and bought him.
“He has to go there and perform again.
“Historically he didn’t score enough goals but he’s added that to his game. I hope it doesn’t continue on Saturday.”
There was some surprise Watt swapped Fir Park for Tannadice but Robinson said: “Dundee United are a big club. I can’t comment on what happened at Motherwell and why he wanted to go to Dundee United.
“But they are a big club and Tony obviously felt it was the next step in his career.
“It’s not for me to say whether he was right or wrong.
“He’s a very good footballer, but he always seems to drift around without getting enough goals or making the impact he should have done.
“He clearly felt Dundee United were the right club for him.”
Saints are ninth but among the six sides locked within a point of fourth – and a top-six berth with three games to the split.
Robinson said: “Myself and the managers of about six clubs are trying to work out what it will take.
“It’s so tight, I don’t think anyone can call it and there such a fine line between top six and bottom six.
“We can’t control what other teams do. We can only control our results and hopefully put together a little run, starting on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, Saints loan star Connor Ronan is on the verge of a call up to the Republic of Ireland squad after hitting top form in recent weeks.
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” added Robinson.
