Conrad Balatoni has thanked Kilmarnock boss for Gary Locke for giving him another go at top-flight football, but admits he would rather be plying his trade abroad.

The 24-year-old quit Partick Thistle in the summer as he looked to fulfil ambition of playing down south or on the continent.

He featured for Bradford in pre-season and was linked with the likes of Barnsley and Blackpool as well as clubs in Greece and Holland.

But when moves further afield failed to materialise he was forced to pen a six-month deal with Killie.

"It's always a worry when you are out of work and not getting paid," admitted Balatoni. "Like everyone else I had a mortgage and bills to pay.

"But football is different from other jobs and sometimes you just have to take that chance to better your career, so that's why I left Thistle. Hopefully I've made the right decision after Kilmarnock showed some faith in me.

"I was always confident I'd get something sorted out eventually, but I just didn't know if it would be in the lower leagues or not.

"I had an offer from Dunfermline but I wanted to stay in the top flight so I held out. When Kilmarnock came in I jumped at the chance."

However, the former Hearts youngster has not given up on his dreams of playing in another country.

He said: "It's not a secret that I had wanted to go abroad or look down to England during the summer.

"But things didn't work out and I learned that maybe I should look a bit closer to home at times. The grass isn't always greener.

"My belief is that everything happens for a reason and I'm now back enjoying my football.

"But my biggest ambition remains to try going abroad and sampling a different culture and a different style of football.

"I don't think enough Scottish footballers go abroad and try and improve themselves.

"I've not got a young family or anything, so feel I could try it now. I've only got a girlfriend so would it work long distance? You never know.

"You can't say no to every opportunity. I want to look back on my career and say I went out there and tried it."

Balatoni has the chance to put himself in the shop window when his side take on Ladbrokes Premiership leaders Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday.

But he knows he will have to do much better than he has previously managed.

Asked to sum up his Celtic Park record, he laughed: "Zero wins, zero draws and I don't know how many losses. But I'm not going there expecting another defeat.

"Every time I play at Parkhead I go there expecting to win. I'm quietly confident. I know it's going to be hard but I've got faith in my team-mates that if we all show up we can cause an upset.