There been little time for thinking long term for Dan Casey since moving to Motherwell, but that one-week-at- a-time approach that one-week-at- a-time approach is proving fruitful in his strong Premiership start.
The Irish defender has quickly become a fans’ favourite since making the switch to ML1 alongside some Irish peers, following time in the sunshine state of California at Sacramento Republic.
Some of Stuart Kettlewell’s men were spotted out on the karaoke decks during a week’s hiatus from league business, and Casey says it points to a happy mood in the camp.
He’s yet to taste defeat in the Premiership after a rocky arrival in Lanarkshire, his debut in the Scottish Cup at Raith Rovers seeing Steven Hammell – who signed Casey – leave his role in the aftermath.
It’s been nice to be amongst cheery peers once more for the 25-year-old who spent longer than he anticipated searching for a club in the UK or Stateside.
“We have still been in, we were in all of last week,” Casey said ahead of the match today with Rangers. “I wasn’t one of the ones pictured on karaoke, it was just a team night out but it was good fun.
“It goes without saying that when you are winning games that you tend to be happier so long may that continue. It has been a bit hectic coming in late and a lot of different things have happened since.
“We are in a good place now though so hopefully it is just a case of pushing on until the end of the season now. I left America last November and I was out of contract, I thought I would get things sorted earlier than I did, maybe in January.
“But you know what football is like and then this opportunity came around, so I grabbed it with both hands. America was an option for me again but to be honest I was looking at a few places, there was never anywhere I was closed off to.
“America, England and Scotland were my three main focuses and luckily enough for me I got something sorted here at Motherwell, and it has worked out.”
After starting out as a youngster with Sunderland before stints in his native Ireland with Bohemians over two spells and Cork City, Casey took a big leap and moved to America.
Sacramento aren’t in the MLS but do feature in the league below – the USL Championship. They are an ambitious outfit who have made moves to try and enter the top rankings of US ‘soccer’, which is making strides with a World Cup hosting looming in 2026.
All that bought into an American dream for Casey, but while the defender’s return to colder climates has been a subtle shock, getting used to new team-mates hasn’t been an issue for the centre-back.
Irish pals have proven a welcome boost even if shouts of ‘brother’ have worn off with Ross Tierney. There’s been a partnership in steel formed with Calum Butcher and one half of that expects further friendships to blossom.
“America was brilliant and I had a great time there, everything was very professional,” Casey explained.
“The set-ups are very good and I really enjoyed it. Football is only going to get bigger in America as they are investing a lot into it with the World Cup coming up over there.
“So I had a great time. The view out my window is different but the thing that’s really different is the weather! It is a good few degrees colder, I’ll tell you that. It is a bit of a shock and it does bring it home a bit.
“I have played in England and Ireland so I know what to expect. It’s not California weather but I have enjoyed it all the same. It does help (new players settling in at the same time) and the fact that there are a lot of Irish boys in the team.
“I knew a few coming in. With the new boys coming in at the same time as me, we can talk to each other in that respect of that we are new and learning all about Motherwell and getting to know this set-up.
“To be fair, I think it’s now Logan Dunachie and Ross who are big brothers now! I think everybody gives them a bit of stick for looking like each other, the comparison between those two is too accurate so that is getting used instead of me and Ross!
“I think both me and Calum want to win each match we play and we will both do what is necessary. I think we both enjoy defending and Calum is a good player too which is obviously nice.
“It is good we have managed to build up a relationship, and I am sure if any of the other boys come in, the relationship will be good there. I think everybody just wants to win games and we’ll do what we can to get as many points as possible between now and the end of the season.”
There’s a gratitude for what Hammell did for him but it’s under new boss Stuart Kettlewell where Casey has flourished. He was gutted it didn’t work out for the man who signed him, but clear messaging from the top flight Manager of the Month for February has helped fill the void.
Scotland is becoming a platform for Irish players like him and the defender believes that standards on either side of the water are on the up.
“It has been a bit different as I had originally signed for Steven Hammell, and I am very grateful to him for giving me this opportunity,” said the defender.
“But football is football and things happen and Stuart has come in, I’ve loved working with him. I’m very happy with things at the moment.
“It’s clear what the message is. Before every game we know exactly what it is we are doing and everybody has bought into it, and I think the results show that. We must be doing something right anyway!
“The quality in Scotland is there for everyone to see, it is a good standard. You look at Celtic and Rangers, and they have both been doing well in Europe recently. They set the standard for the league and the league is only getting better, the standard is going up.
“Just from outside watching in, I have seen it and then being in it, it’s a good league to be part of. It is tough and hard with no easy games, every team has their own strengths and weaknesses. It is certainly a challenge but one I am enjoying.
“The Scottish league is a good one but the League of Ireland is a good one, too. I think people are noticing there are a lot of good players over there, and there is a demand for players going to England or Scotland.
“That will only grow as football is only growing in Ireland and already there’s a good pool of players there. So to go to a big club like Motherwell or somewhere else like that, guys will take that with both hands.”
It was only a short-term deal Casey signed in the winter and in the summer, as things stand, he will have a decision to make over where he rocks up come the start of next season.
That is a conversation far removed from the centre-back’s thinking at this minute in time. For now, it’s each game as it comes, and that begins with Rangers at Fir Park.
One thing he does know when that conversation comes is that he hopes Motherwell are firmly in the mix. But all he’s got his eyes on is Michael Beale’s men this lunchtime.
“Oh, of course,” the former Sunderland youth said when asked about getting something sorted in Motherwell beyond this summer. “Definitely. I have enjoyed my time here and it has been brilliant.
“When you are coming to a new place, it just takes time to get used to everything. You get used to the places you like going and it’s the same as anywhere in the world. It’s just something that will come with time.
“As soon as I came in I just wanted to get playing and as soon as I did that I wanted to start playing well. That has been my only thought so far and I want to finish out the season strongly.
“I would be very open to that and I am just sort of taking one game at a time at the minute. I don’t want to start getting ahead of myself, things are going well at the minute so I just want to keep going and try to improve things.”
