Gordon Young has backed Motherwell to bounce back after a traumatic few days which saw Craig Brown and Archie Knox leave for Aberdeen.
Young, the head of ‘Well’s highly respected Youth Development system, will take charge of the side for Tuesday evening’s televised tie against Hearts and he thinks his players have the mental toughness to get a win against in-form Hearts.
“I’ve worked very closely with the previous management regime, and of course I am disappointed that they have left to go to pastures new,” the temporary gaffer admitted.
“But the players are a tight-knit, confident bunch and I think they are prepared to handle this situation.
“It’s credit to the players’ professionalism that they have managed to pick themselves up this week. After the initial disappointment we got on with training and have kicked on since then.
“The players are the most important thing. We have a lot of keen players who are either under contract or whose contracts are near expiry – and they will provide an excellent platform for the new manager.”
The departure of former Scotland boss Brown to the Granite City has left something of an unpleasant taste in the mouth for many Motherwell fans.
Yet Young has nothing but praise for the previous management team, although he does share the fans’ frustration at the frequency will which gaffers seem to jump ship after reasonable success with the Fir Park club.
“We have had young, hungry managers who have cut their teeth here and we have had more experienced coaches that we thought were finishing their career here. I don’t know where the happy balance is – or if there is one,” he mused.
“What I do know is that Motherwell is a base for positive people to come and work; they will inherit a good staff, they will inherit good players and they will work with good people from top to bottom.
“Motherwell is better off as a club due to the work done by Craig and Archie. The staff are further forward, the players are a better group and the fans got to enjoy some great success in the last year.
“We’re sad their not here anymore but they have been very positive for the club.”
Ironically Craig and Archie spent Saturday afternoon at Tynecastle watching their new club drop to rock bottom of the SPL at the hands of ‘Well’s opponents on Tuesday.
The Dons’ capitulation against the Gorgie side allowed the Jambo’s to make it five wins on the bounce, with a truly remarkable aggregate of 13-nil.
There is little doubt Young has been handed arguably the toughest opponent in the SPL at the moment to face.
He said: “Nothing that we have done, or are going to do in the next few days, will change our methods under Craig and Archie. We will replicate the regime that we normally do and hopefully we will get success with that formula.
“I saw the game on Saturday and I thought Hearts were excellent. They went about their business well and they have clearly got a settled shape and a good team pattern, but we will look forward to the challenge.”
Young also confirmed, in keeping with a very positive media conference, that the club is looking to tie down some of the stars who are only under contract until this summer.
John Sutton, Mark Reynolds, Steve Jennings and captain Stephen Craigan are all on deals which will expire in the summer, and in-form striker Nick Blackman is on a loan deal from Blackburn which will expire next month – meaning there is much work to be done behind the scenes.
“As far as I’m aware the club is working hard to address people running out of contract. The club is being proactive and has engaged in talks as recently as Friday and hopefully that is something which can appease the fans.
