Chief Executive Leeann Dempster sat down with motherwellfc.co.uk for an in-depth chat on the “new order” at Fir Park.
It won’t have gone unnoticed, both amongst the Motherwell support and the wider Scottish football public that the Steelmen have, during this close-season, moved to secure many key players to longer term contracts.
This is a very deliberate and planned process formulated by the Board, in partnership with the management team, to refocus the clubs’ strategy in terms of producing and securing our own young talent.
Dempster, the only female involved in top level Scottish football circles, outlined the direction in which the club now is focused.
“The whole philosophy isn’t new to football or even Motherwell Football Club for that matter,” she said.
“I know that our supporters will always want to see the club active in the transfer market however we need to strike the balance between bringing new players to the club and importantly making sure we have the correct structures in place to bring our own players through and further develop them once they have made that breakthrough.
“All of which is not without cost however, I am certain, the earlier we make these investments the more likely we will all be in reaping the rewards in the seasons to come.
“Like all clubs we have had to rework our budgets to what is realistically affordable without limiting our aspirations. That is the unfortunate reality of football and we cannot get away from, or even worse ignore, it. The downside is that we will have to carry a slightly thinner squad but hopefully it will be a talented squad that will, in the fullness of time produce excellent skills on the field for Motherwell and then move onto bigger things. We have some excellent young players here who have a fantastic career ahead of them.
“The reality of life now, at this football club, is of organisation and planning. Fans should know that there will not be the same number of new faces as last summer but that’s because we’re in a better position this summer.
“We have also got to balance the long-term aspirations and that means redeploying some of the resources now into keeping some of the younger talent, who may develop into sellable assets and that’s what we’ve done.”
You could say lessons learned then? Motherwell have suffered more than most from the introduction of the Bosman ruling in the mid-1990’s.
It started with Rob McKinnon and Paul Lambert, at the time, and has continued through with the likes of Simo Valakari, Steven Pearson, Steven Hammell, Scott McDonald, Ross McCormack and, latterly, Jim O’Brien all leaving the club for either a knocked down fee as their deal approached its final months, or for nothing at all.
Given every example listed is, or was, an International player of some description, it makes for a great deal of frustration, particularly amongst the fans, and perhaps even more pertinent, a massive amount of lost revenue for the club.
It’s something Dempster was acutely aware of when she took the job and something she, along with the board – both new and old – have attempted to rectify.
She continued, “I don’t think it’s a criticism of the club in the past to say we’ve been burnt, it’s fair comment, but I suppose at the same time that is the reality of the post-Bosman era in football.
“In many respects, if a player decides that he is going to run his contract down then that is what will happen. It is very much his right and there is nothing a club can do about it, no matter how vigilant it is.
“That’s the nature of the business; it has happened in the past at Motherwell and will, no doubt, happen again in the future.
“However, there is perhaps more continuity now at the club as I am here on a full-time basis. I can dedicate a lot more time to doing these things than my predecessors have been able to do.
“There is a clear strategy in terms of the future both on and off the field. I say these things with the full support of everyone on the board at Motherwell Football Club. The new people who have taken their seats on the board (Andrew Wilson and Derek Weir) have brought some fresh thoughts and fresh focus.”
So the plan is clear; support the Youth Development programme to produce more home grown players, aid their development and enjoy their talents whilst here, and sell them on to so called bigger clubs with both Motherwell and the player reaping the benefits.
It seems so simple yet, it’s a concept still not fully supported by top clubs.
A recent Sunday Newspaper ran a feature naming Motherwell as the SPL club most flush with first-team players who had come from their Youth Development programme. Sixteen in all – sixteen players who kicked a ball in anger for the first-team last season that came through the ranks – at some level – in the Youth Development programme.
It’s a massive achievement and one Dempster was quick to acknowledge and praise.
“Part of the reason for our production line of talent is through necessity, let’s be honest,” she admitted.
“But make no mistake, Gordon Young and his team of coaches and scouts have done an absolutely terrific job to not only persuade the talent we have to come here, but to develop them into young men ready for the first-team.
“Without wanting to pick out individuals, Steven Saunders is a classic example. Steven’s signature was fought over between many clubs but we tried to show him a clear progression path and he was given the opportunity and he has been excellent; he’s got a great future ahead of him. If we use him, and others like him, then it’s a model for success.
“It’s the ultimate selling tool. We can partner that with good facilities which are set to get better. With a move to a new training facilities in the not too distant future a reality, that will help us even more to pick up the cream of the immerging talent in Lanarkshire which is renowned for producing fantastic footballers.
“We’ve also got two brilliant figureheads in Craig Brown and Archie Knox. You only need to look at the camaraderie in the dressing room and indeed the wider club at large which they have both been responsible for. I am really positive about our future.”
