Motherwell

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Stephen O'Donnell hopes the arrival of new manager Michael Wimmer will bring "a spring of life" to Motherwell as they aim to avoid a relegation scrap.

The Fir Park side have slipped from fourth to eighth in the Scottish Premiership amid a dreadful run of five consecutive defeats, winning just one of their last 11 matches in all competitions.

Motherwell have spent most of this season in the top six, and despite only being in the bottom half of the table due to goal difference, they are just four points clear of the relegation play-off spot, such is the tight nature of the league.

European qualification remains possible, but O'Donnell has told his team-mates to accept their main focus for now is to pull away from the drop zone.

"I hope I'm wrong and we go on and win the next five games, but I think we've been aware for the past couple of months that we are in a scrap," the former Scotland full-back said.

"We need to get safe first. You can say that's a negative attitude, but that's for me a realistic attitude.

"We haven't been consistent enough, nor has the rest of the league. We just need to make sure we bounce back from what's been a tough run with the new manager and start his reign off with a good performance."

O'Donnell and co will have the chance to do that at Tannadice on Saturday when they take on fourth-placed Dundee United, and the 32-year-old is aiming to impress.

"I think there's always pressure and enthusiasm around a new manager," the defender added. "You need to impress him, and I just hope over the coming weeks I'm able to do that.

"The manager hasn't been over in Scotland before with a team, so hopefully that just comes a real spring of life for the full squad."

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Visiting a side who have suffered four defeats in a row - and only one win in six - presents a great opportunity for Michael Wimmer in his debut as Motherwell manager.

Especially as they have already beaten Saturday's hosts Dundee United in all three meetings this season - and won four in a row all told.

In saying that, the 44-year-old German inherits a side who themselves have lost five in succession - and are without a win in six.

Four of those defeats have come in the Premiership and they have not lost five in a row since January 2015 - when, you might have guessed it, their fifth was a 3-1 defeat at Tannadice.

Well will be hoping for the much-vaunted new manager bounce this time after the appointment of former Austria Vienna boss Wimmer.

Following the recent resignation of Stuart Kettlewell citing personal abuse that was affecting his family, it will be interesting to see how quickly the new boss is able to deliver to their fans the intense, attacking football he has promised.

German football expert Derek Rae described to BBC Scotland the choice of Wimmer as a "calculated gamble" given his only spell as a manager ended in May after only 16 wins in 47 matches in Austria's Bundesliga.

However, Wimmer has a reputation for developing young players during coaching spells with Nuremberg, Augsburg and Stuttgart, just what you need when you have 18-year-old Lennon Miller as your key figure.

Despite poor results, United are still in a healthy fourth spot, while Well are a mere six points behind and only behind sixth-top St Mirren on goal difference, albeit also just four ahead of Dundee in the relegation play-off spot.

United have not lost three times in a row at home to the Steelmen in the top-flight since May 2000. Match that and Wimmer would be quickly on to a winner.

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• Dundee United have lost both of their last two home games against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership but haven't lost three times in a row at home to the Steelmen in the top flight since May 2000.

• Motherwell have won both of their league meetings with Dundee United in 2024-25 so far and could win three league games in a single season against them for the first time since 2004-05.

• Dundee United have lost each of their last three league games – as many as their previous 13 beforehand (W6 D4 L3).

• Motherwell have lost each of their last four league games, last losing five on the spin in January 2015 – when the fifth defeat was away to Dundee United (1-3).

• Only Motherwell's Aston Oxborough (85) has made more saves in the Scottish Premiership this season than Dundee United's Jack Walton (79). Walton has conceded 31 goals (excl. own goals) from an expected goals on target faced total of 38.7 – with his 7.7 goals prevented based on xGoT the highest of any goalkeeper in the competition this season.

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Stephen O'Donnell pleaded patience from the Motherwell fans as his side gets to grip with the way new manager Michael Wimmer wants to play.

The German boss has been vocal on his intent to play intense, attacking football - quite a change from the style under previous gaffer Stuart Kettlewell.

"When the manager leaves, it's really disappointing and especially when you've been in the team, you've been a big part of his spell, it hurts," O'Donnell reflected on Kettlewell's exit.

"But that's also part of football, we go on. It was sad that he left but there's obviously a new fresh slate and all I'd ask is that the fans give the team that the gaffer picks a bit of time to hopefully start to see improvement.

"I hope it comes on Saturday against Dundee United but Rome wasn't built in a day and hopefully there'll be improvements."

However, the Motherwell vice-captain was confident about how quickly he and his teammates have gotten to grips with Wimmer's plans.

"All we can do, as players, is ask for clarity - and that's what was disappointing, I thought we had that before, I have been at clubs and we've not had that.

"The gaffer has come in and he looks like he's going to be very clear on what he expects from us. You get the impression that if it isn't delivered then you won't play and that's how it should work. That's how it will hopefully be, and you just hope that you're in the team whenever the team's picked."

Despite the difference in perceived playing styles, O'Donnell assured fans that it hasn't been night and day from the previous regime.

"It doesn't look like he's ripping up everything, so that's always a good start.

"We've obviously got a lot of bodies in the building, which again is a positive for him he can start to cipher through where he thinks people are best suited.

"That will take time but I certainly see what he's looking to do, things that we maybe have come away from as a team, and hopefully the manager coming in reinvents that and starts to spring it back to life."

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Stuart Kettlewell says the abuse he received while Motherwell manager got to a point where his wife had to take their children away from games because they "physically couldn't sit there anymore".

The 40-year-old resigned from his position on 27 January, citing the personal nature of criticism he had received during a downturn in results.

In one of his first interviews since his departure from Fir Park, the former Ross County boss told Sky Sports, external: "If I was a single guy and we weren't invested in it as a family, I could've handled it.

"When you feel things may have an effect on your family, then I believe you have a decision to make.

"One thing I need to clear up, there were one or two things mentioned that it was abuse directed at my family, that's not true. It was abuse directed to me.

"It doesn't matter whether it's shouted at your wife or your children, of course that would be worse, but you have to understand the impact that has on them."

This week Kettlewell was replaced by German Michael Wimmer, who will bid to end a five-match losing sequence away to Dundee United on Saturday.

"I've had plenty of abuse along the way, as have most people in football," he added. The booing and the jeering when people aren't happy with a result or a performance, I get that.

"But I think for myself, it's when you feel that even if it's a minority, even for a period of time, when you feel that starts to cross the line.

"There were a number of different things, the vast majority of it centres around the game day, the match day.

"Getting to the point where my wife has to take the children away for the game because you physically can't sit there anymore.

"I didn't do it [resigning] for effect, I got to the stage where you feel you don't want to overstay your welcome."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Michael Wimmer has held his first media conference as Motherwell manager.

Here are the key points he made:

• Wimmer said it is "not a sprint, it's a marathon" when asked if he could implement the style he seeks quickly. However, he believes from what he has seen in a short time with the squad that the players "are hungry to get information".

• The German outlined his style of football as being "proactive, to be dominant with control and energy".

• He said he was not in a position to talk about the departure of Stuart Kettlewell but going forward he was "looking to have a good connection with the fans", adding it is important that relationship "is tight".

• On Scottish football more generally, Wimmer said he likes the "intensity, honesty and passion".

• He added one topic discussed before being appointed was the development of young players as one of the clubs' aims.

Jenna Thomson
Fan writer

Judgement day is upon us, and we now have a new man behind the wheel.

Welcome to Motherwell, Mr Michael Wimmer.

I'll be honest with my ignorance, as I hadn't heard of him before yesterday, but, after looking into his tenure at his previous club, I think this could go well for us.

The Ross County game was an utter shambles but the departure of Stevie Frail is beyond unfortunate. The enjoyment and love for this club was all over his face. He was a delight to have involved with Motherwell.

The status of the club just now is a hard one to describe, with both optimism and fear ringing through the halls. I am leaning more on the hopeful side, now it is finally confirmed who the captain behind the ship is...

We asked you for your views following Michael Wimmer's appointment as Motherwell manager.

Here's what some of you said:

Joe: I was surprised with the announcement, but praise the board for forward thinking - we have been subjected to negative tactics for too long. Hopefully this will change with the new managerial team. I am taking a lot of positives from this appointment - things can only get better 😀

Robert: I hope Wimmer has an immediate, positive impact on the squad. He's got a massive job to turn around a team low on confidence, if he wants a more proactive approach. I really hope it works. He needs time, but that isn't a commodity in huge supply.

Nick: I wish him well. However, not entirely sure about taking a gamble at this stage of the season on an unknown with very little pedigree. That said, I hope he hits the ground running and gains some valuable wins.

George: Not at all excited by the new managerial appointment. Record of 16 wins in 47 at only previous long-term appointment, yet this was the standout candidate from hundreds of applications according to our chairman.

Only time will tell I suppose and, for the sake of the club, I hope I'm wrong, otherwise, it'll be Championship football next season.

Adam: This looks like an excellent opportunity. An experienced coach with new ideas and hopefully a better set of results. Look forward to seeing his game plan at Tannadice.

Andrew: Like most supporters, I expect not many will have heard of Wimmer, or of his past coaching career. Hopefully the board will have served due diligence considering how many applicants there was.

I expect his initial target will be not to finish in the bottom two. He will need to clean the dross and hopefully kick on next season with a reduced squad.

James: Time will tell. The way we've been playing, should have went for Harry Potter.

Gary: Quite excited by this. We normally go left-field but this is left-field, even for us! Track record looks decent and hopefully he brings a new style that the team badly needs.

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Stuart Kettlewell has no regrets about resigning as Motherwell manager last month, believing he "made the decision for the right reasons". (Sun), external

New Motherwell boss Michael Wimmer hopes to bring "exciting" football to Fir Park. (Scotsman - subscription), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

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After working in the Nurnberg academy for over eight years, it is perhaps no surprise that Michael Wimmer is looking to utilise Motherwell's youth set-up to his advantage.

The Lanarkshire club have produced David Turnbull, Max Johnston and now Lennon Miller through their academy in recent years, and new manager Wimmer wants to develop Motherwell's own.

"It is a very good academy, I hear," he told club media. "There's very good young players, who you can develop. I like to work with young players, to develop them. This is one aim and I hope I can do it here."

He also made it clear that his style of football is more front foot than Motherwell have shown in certain matches this season.

"What I want to see is that we play with a lot of energy, that we play proactive football, that we are high-pressing, that we control games, and that we have fun with the fans together," he said.

"It is a big squad. We need to get to know each other, I need to learn all the names. It's very difficult, but I like it. It's a great challenge. I'm here to work hard, I'm not here to relax and have a holiday. I'm here for working and to bring my input into the club."

Wimmer has also brought assistant manager Ahmet Koc with him, who he worked with previously at Nurnberg and Austria Vienna.

"Ahmet has known me 18 years, we've worked together for 14 years. He's a great friend, one of my best friends. But he's not here because of that, he's here because he's a very good coach.

"He's very important for a dressing room, he has always a brilliant relationship with the players. He's perfect on the pitch. It's important he can communicate to the other staff because there's never a one-man show or a two-man show, this is a club and we're always together."

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Motherwell's new managerial appointment Michael Wimmer, could be a "calculated gamble", according to German football expert Derek Rae.

Wimmer had roles as an assistant at Stuttgart and Augsburg before becoming head coach of Austria Vienna in January 2023, where he won 16 times in 47 league matches before being dismissed in May 2024.

The Steelman named the 44-year-old as their new boss on Monday, and Bundesliga commentator Rae believes the German's experience working with young players will help his cause at Fir Park.

"It's an interesting one," Rae told BBC Scotland.

"I think his experiences with young players, especially across Germany with Nuremberg and then assistant coach at Augsburg and Stuttgart, will stand him in good stead. But we know he has a big challenge."

Wimmer was briefly in interim charge of Stuttgart in 2022 and Rae was told the Bundesliga side seriously considered keeping on a permanent basis before they "ultimately went in a different direction".

"He doesn't have an extensive history as a head coach," Rae added. "You've really got to just look back at that one post with Austria Vienna and his 18 months there – it was a bit of a mixed bag.

"So it's maybe a bit of a calculated gamble from Motherwell, but one I hope most fans will welcome."

And what might those supporters expect from their new man in the dugout?

"I listened to him on a podcast not so long ago talking about his philosophy and what he said was he veers towards the pro-active, towards the more ambitious rather than playing scared football," outlined Rae.

"He says you have to have control when that is necessary in a game, but ultimately when that is in doubt you should go for the attack-minded way of doing things. He doesn't really believe in going into a game with, as he said, the sort of rabbit in the headlights philosophy.

"So I think he will fit, I think he's progressive."

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New Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer insists there will be "no settling-in period" when he gets into the Fir Park dugout.

The former Austria Vienna boss will begin his duties as soon as his work permit is issued and is determined to hit the ground running despite the Steelmen's poor run of recent results.

Motherwell have lost their last five outings and won just one in 11, but Wimmer sees potential.

"There will be no settling-in period," he told the club website. "We will commit 100% of our efforts to producing an exciting football team that can achieve targets.

"This is a hugely exciting club whose core values align with mine. Speaking to the board was insightful, and it was interesting to hear their vision."

Motherwell sit eighth in the Scottish Premiership table but are level on points with sixth-placed St Mirren, only behind the Paisley side on goal difference.

Wimmer is joined at Fir Park by assistant Ahmet Koc, with Stevie Frail - who oversaw the home losses to Celtic and Ross County - leaving the club.

If the new management team are able to achieve a top-six finish, it would the first since the 2021-22 season under Graham Alexander.

"It's not a club standing still, and I feel Ahmet [Koc] and I can really help the football club move forward. We're at a crucial segment of the season, with opportunities all around us.

"I can't wait to meet the supporters. The passion and enthusiasm are admirable, and it will be a huge contributing factor in our success going forward."

Motherwell fans, what do you make of the Fir Park club appointing Michael Wimmer as their new manager?

What do you think would constitute success for the rest of this season? Were you hoping for a different name?

Have your say here., external

Former striker James McFadden on the "big job" that awaits the next Motherwell manager after the Steelmen lost 3-0 at home to Ross County in a fifth consecutive defeat.

Ross County inflict managerless Motherwell's fifth successive defeat to move out of the Premiership relegation play-off spot. (UK users only)

Motherwell fans, we asked for your views on Saturday's Scottish Premiership defeat to Ross County.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Allan: Another game where Motherwell's set-up was baffling. No width as usual. What do we have to do to see a winger at Fir Park? Three shots on target at home is nowhere near good enough. Did Ross County totally outplay Motherwell? No, but they had more game intelligence to take the points.

Eric: Why are we surprised? Stephen Frail was Stuart Kettlewell's assistant so you'd assume he agreed with previous tactics and line-ups so we can't expect anything else. To change something you either need to be brave or be someone different. Unfortunately Frail is neither. What Tony Watt contributed is a mystery.

Norrie: Another disappointing performance. The whole team looked dejected. Never seen so many players lacking in self-belief. Whatever is going on I don't fancy any manager could pick them up. You can clear out the majority of the players Kettlewell has brought in. Start again, just hoping it is not in the Championship.

JJ: Absolute disgrace. I've said it all year, it's the worst team in a lot of years. A team of imposters not fit to wear our colours. Frail is just a glove puppet of Kettlewell. Radical change needed to get rid of the deadwood. Farm our youngsters out on loan and bring in so-called better youngsters from England but are they really?

Alan: There was a total lack of energy, drive and commitment. The defence were porous, the midfield lacked cohesion and the attack never really penetrated. Why Tawanda Maswanhise doesn't play from the start is baffling! Where is the team that accumulated 31 points?

Edward: What have you all been doing for the last two weeks? The team has now lost to every other team in the division and doesn't seem to have any heart. How dare you serve up that performance! Europe? Yeah right. Relegation on the cards!

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• Motherwell have failed to win any of their past nine matches when conceding first in the Premiership, since a victory over St Mirren on 28 September 2024.

• Motherwell have a record of W0, D0, L9 when trailing at half-time in the Premiership this season.

• Motherwell have lost their last four games in the Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 16 September 2023 to 7 October 2023.

• Ronan Hale has now scored three goals in three appearances in the Premiership against Motherwell, and his eight Premiership goals this season are more than any other Ross County player.

• Noah Chilvers has assisted his fifth goal at the Premiership this season, more than any other Ross County player.

• Connor Randall scored his first goal in the Premiership this season, netting for the first time since 12 August 2023 against St Johnstone.

• Ross County have scored 10 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Celtic (19) and Dundee United (15) have scored more in the Premiership this season.

Ross County moved out of the relegation zone as they eased past managerless Motherwell at Fir Park to record a first Scottish Premiership win in four attempts.

Ronan Hale netted either side of the interval with composed finishes before Connor Randall's low shot crept past the outstretched Ellery Balcombe late on to put the game beyond the struggling hosts.

Stephen Frail remained in interim charge of Motherwell and confirmed pre-match that a new boss is expected to be appointed at "the start of next week".

Have your say on the game here., external

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Motherwell interim manager Stephen Frail: "Extremely disappointed, angry is an emotion as well.

"It was just a poor performance, I've not really seen from what we've worked on the last couple of weeks.

"The sessions have been good, the players have been alive, they've been bright, they've been desperate to get back on the pitch.

"We start the game reasonably well, we concede a cheap goal and you can just see the confidence getting drained from them.

"I'm stressing at half-time, we're fifth in the league for a reason for the start of the season that we've made, collectively as a group of players and a coaching team.

"But to lose that goal and then, I'm not using the word capitulate but we don't show enough urgency to get back in the game.

"Second half, again, we're probably more on the front foot but we concede a second goal and as I say the whole energy from the players, in the stadium, it's just like somebody just popped a balloon and it just goes so flat and as I say it's an incredibly disappointing result.

"Hopefully the new manager, who we're hoping is in place some time next week, can maybe get something from the players in terms of just a lift, that new manager bounce hopefully comes in.

"They are a talented bunch of players but for whatever reason the last few weeks they've come off the things that we work on daily, the things that we work on every week in the analysis room and they just seem devoid of any confidence to go and try and get a result.

"It's as though we're sitting waiting for someone to score against us.

"It'll be a fight now, but hopefully, as I say, the manager, when he comes in, can try and get the players going straight away when they go to Tannadice next Saturday.

"For whatever reason, the confidence seems to have drained from them."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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A new era is set to begin next week at Fir Park with the arrival of the yet-to-be-revealed manager but there is little to build on after today's performance.

From 18 shots and 69% possession, they seldom troubled Amissah in the County goal, only registering three on target.

They have now lost their last four top-flight games, making it their joint longest losing streak since 16th September 2023 to 7th October 2023.

Lennon Miller returned to the starting line-up, a welcome sliver of good news amidst the ongoing troubles facing the club, and he showed in glimpses how important he is to this side.

They enjoyed periods of sustained possession and were often in the final third but were toothless for most of it.

If the new manager brings the cliched new manager bounce with them then this crisis may well be averted, if not though, the play-off spot is a mere four points away now.

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He tells BBC Scotland: "I think there will be more concrete news for first of all the players because the players need that clarity, they've had me in their ear for two weeks saying that there'll be a new manager coming in, so the clarity for that will be for them at the start of next week and for you guys.

"Until then obviously I'm not privy to say who's coming in.

"I know who's coming in and hopefully everything gets signed and dotted properly and this football club gets a manager who's going to build on the good work that's gone before him and hopefully continue to get us up the table and finish in a healthy position.

"I won't be giving you a name at quarter to five either, not unless something drastic happens. I would love to, even family and friends have been asking me. It's not as if we're going to unveil Pep Guardiola tomorrow and everything's been kept quiet for that.

"It'll be a manager of really good standing, good pedigree and one that the club believes, and having looked at who we're bringing in, I believe, to go and, as I said, enhance and take the club forward and finish the season really, really strongly."