Celtic lack killer touch - Hartson

By David McDaid

As a player John Hartson instinctively knew his way to goal. Now he believes his former team Celtic need to add more firepower to their ranks.

The Glasgow club have struggled for goals this season, especially at home, under their new manager Tony Mowbray.

Hartson has been waging his own personal struggle against testicular cancer, but he is now feeling well enough to make a trip back to Scotland, where he spent five goal-laden years.

"I've finished my chemotherapy - I had 67 sessions of that - and it's so nice to have a break because it has horrible side effects," said the former Wales international.

"I don't have another hospital date until the end of November, so I can relax and enjoy the next four weeks.

They need a goalscorer - someone in the box to put the ball in the net John Hartson

"I have to say a big 'thank you' to fans of Rangers and Celtic - they've both inundated me with goodwill messages. I'm very appreciative of that."

Hartson has also undergone brain surgery, as the cancer had spread by the time of its diagnosis in July this year.

But in an exclusive interview with BBC Scotland the Welshman was eager to get back to talking football.

Naturally, with more important issues on his mind he admits he hasn't stayed as up to date as he used to.

Yet he has still been keeping one eye on the fortunes of his old club who, unusually, have found their home form wanting this season.

Wednesday's defeat by Hearts meant Celtic they have managed to win just two matches at home from nine attempts.

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It is also three games since they last scored in front of their own fans, and against Hearts they passed up several good chances.

"In the great team I played in we had three natural goalscorers," said the 34-year-old.

"Henrik Larsson just was a phenomenon, Chris Sutton, who had an all-round game, and I wasn't bad."

Hartson is being modest. In his five years in Glasgow he managed a total of 119 goals, and is the third-top scorer in Scottish Premier League history.

Only one goal behind him is current Celtic star, Scott McDonald. Hartson rates the Australian highly, but thinks he needs some help on the goal-scoring front.

"I think the problem Celtic have is that, other than McDonald, they don't have a natural goalscorer," he explained.

Hartson believes Celtic must recruit a forward to compliment McDonald

"They have Georgios Samaras who I don't see as a natural scorer, Marc-Antoine Fortune hasn't really hit the ground running, and Shaun Maloney is great at free-kicks and can create chances, but he's not really a 25-goals-a-season man.

"So if McDonald is drying up it's difficult.

"I think they need another striker - a goalscorer - because they are creating chances and they just need someone at the end of them in the box to put the ball in the net."

Mowbray has received criticism for the team's performances, but Hartson believes his old boss will come good.

"It's not great at the moment, but Tony - and I've worked with him at West Brom - is not one to show his emotions," said the Welshman.

"He does his talking within the four walls of the dressing room. I'm in there sure he's telling them what he really thinks.

"I think Celtic are not the type of club to be sacking managers. They normally give them three or four years at least.

"It really does make you realise what a great job Gordon Strachan did.

"But Tony will turn it around I'm sure."