Motherwell

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Jens Berthel Askou won promotion to the Danish top flight with both Vendsyssel and Horsens.

In between those jobs he won a league and cup double in the Faroe Islands with HB Torshavn.

In June 2023, he took over at IFK Goteborg for a year before joining Sparta Prague as an assistant coach.

In January, he took up a similar post at FC Copenhagen working under manager Jacob Neestrup.

"We had a high number of impressive applicants, but we were really drawn to Jens," said Motherwell chairman Kyrk Macmillan.

"His track record of working with big clubs, delivering success and developing young players matches up with all our philosophies.

"He has handed 26 teenagers debuts in five-and-a-half seasons, which I think is evidence of Jens implementing his ideas and morals.

"The data and numbers impressed us, but more importantly, after speaking with Jens a number of times, he is a really ambitious character and a leader who was extremely keen to get the role here at our club."

Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland

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It's becoming the Motherwell way to taken an alternative approach to things.

Much like the recruitment process for Michael Wimmer, the Fir Park club have gone down an unfamiliar route, bucking the trend of Hearts, Dundee and Kilmarnock, to bring in their new manager.

Arguably Jens Berthel Askou has more of a pedigree than his predecessor. He's won trophies and promotions, including a domestic double in the Faroe Islands. There's also names like IFK Goteborg and FC Copenhagen on his CV.

He talks of being hungry for success, but success in Scotland may look quite different. With a budget that a fan-owned club can offer, a league and cup double parade going along Windmillhill Street seems fanciful. However, being bold in chasing ambition is something in line with the Motherwell way of thinking right now.

A young and dynamic board led by chairman Kyrk MacMillan, who previously was a CEO with a Danish fashion firm, are attempting to forge their own path and do things their own way. But Askou has a lot to do, and quickly, when he arrives next week.

The bulky squad left for him report for pre-season training on Wednesday, along with new recruits presumably eyed up by Wimmer. He also has to face losing his star asset, Lennon Miller, whose value and profile will only have gone up since starring for Scotland on Monday.

Askou's appointment was predictably unpredictable. Knowing Scottish football, what happens next will most likely be the same.

Motherwell have appointed Jens Berthel Askou as their new manager.

The 42-year-old Dane, who was most recently assistant manager at FC Copenhagen, will be calling Fir Park home.

Plenty names had been mentioned, so we want to know what you think about the new boss.

Give us your thoughts here.

Central Coast Mariners boss Mark Jackson is a surprise candidate to become the new Motherwell manager. (Scottish Sun), external

Celtic are expected to rekindle interest in 18-year-old Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller and have also been keeping tabs on Hearts left-back James Penrice. (Daily Record), external

Lennon Miller, also linked with Sunderland, Eintracht Frankfurt and Royal Union St Gilloise, insists his focus is more on pre-season with Motherwell than speculation over his future. (Daily Record), external

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.

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No team won more fouls in the Scottish Premiership last season than Motherwell.

The Steelmen were fouled 468 times - according to Opta - 20 times more than second-most fouled, St Johnstone.

Lennon Miller won 70 of those fouls, while midfield partner Andy Halliday won 58.

Tawanda Maswanhise won 46, with Callum Slattery earning four fewer.

Sunderland are preparing a £10m bid for 18-year-old Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller, who made his first Scotland start in Monday's win away to Liechtenstein. (SportsBoom), external

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A move to Europe would suit midfielder Lennon Miller if he is to depart Motherwell this summer, says former Scotland striker Steven Naismith.

The 18-year-old, who has just one year remaining on his Fir Park deal, is reportedly attracting interest from a number of clubs after a stellar campaign.

The youngster ended a memorable season with a first Scotland start, impressing in midfield and providing an assist in the 4-0 win in Liechtenstein.

Ex-Hearts boss Naismith says he has "loved" seeing Scottish players, such as Lewis Ferguson, Josh Doig and Aaron Hickey, go abroad at a young age and feels Miller could be next to benefit from a move to the continent.

"My generation, players going abroad was something that rarely happened," the former Rangers forward said on BBC Sportsound on Sunday.

"European football would suit Miller better, because his big attributes are he's good technically and his awareness is very good.

"Other parts he can learn, Ferguson is the prime example of that. Ferguson's turned into a brilliant all-round midfielder.

"Motherwell will get rewarded for their hard work [with a good fee]."

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Scotland and Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller told BBC Scotland: "It's a good night's work, a proud moment to make my first start and to pop up with an assist is always nice.

"It's always easier when you get that early goal, it calmed everyone down and we played some nice stuff out there.

"I thought we came here tonight and our application was second to none."

On what's next, he added: "I've got a couple of weeks off to come, then it's back to it."

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Motherwell have confirmed centre-back Dan Casey will depart the club after deciding to "pursue opportunities in England".

The defender, who joined the Fir Park side in February 2023, turned down a new contract offer to remain in Lanarkshire.

In more than two years at the club, Casey became a key part of the defence and played 85 times, scoring seven times.

"I've loved every minute of being here," the Irishman said. "Some of my favourite football memories were made here and I'll always be grateful for that.

"A huge thank you to all of the Motherwell staff, my team-mates and especially the fans for everything."

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Defender Stephen O'Donnell said he was left feeling "pretty baffled" and "gutted" after Michael Wimmer's shock exit as Motherwell manager.

The former Stuttgart coach left Fir Park for family reasons, returning to Germany to join third-tier club Jahn Regensburg.

Ex-Scotland right-back O'Donnell was a regular under Wimmer, who had comfortably guided the Lanarkshire side to top-flight survival.

O'Donnell said there was plenty of positivity heading into next season. Then came the "massive shock" of the manager's departure last month.

"At the end of the [last game of the season] he thanked us," O'Donnell said on BBC Sportsound. "There was lots of optimism going forward.

"Then when I got the text I was pretty baffled. He'd spoken a couple times about his family. These are the kind of things you don't question, family comes first.

"I was gutted personally. I'd been playing and was looking forward to next season."

Motherwell are yet to appoint a replacement for Wimmer. On Sunday's Sportsound, former Hearts boss Steven Naismith said the role would not interest him.

Meanwhile, O'Donnell said he would be "excited to work" under another foreign coach.

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Motherwell's majority shareholder has called for a wider discussion on the use of VAR in Scottish football after none of their members backed the technology in its current form.

During a Well Society consultation, external, a near unanimous 99.3% of respondents believe VAR either needs to be "scrapped altogether or fundamentally reformed". The other 0.7% were unsure.

A total of 63% of respondents said they did not support VAR in Scottish football, while 60% said the use of the video technology had made their experience as a supporter "significantly worse".

A Well Society statement read: "Fans spoke about long delays, a lack of clear communication, inconsistent decisions, and a growing sense of disconnect between those in the stands and those officiating on the pitch.

"Rather than building trust in decisions, many feel VAR has done the opposite, creating more distance between supporters and the game itself.

"Some still see potential for technology to play a role in football, if used in the right way. But the overwhelming feeling from our fanbase is that VAR, as it stands in Scotland, is simply not working.

"A system designed to bring clarity has, for many, only added more confusion."

Well Society director David Cullinan added: "As a fan-owned club, we have a duty to listen. This wasn't about grabbing attention. It was about listening to what our supporters really think.

"And they've made it clear that VAR, as things stand, is letting them down. This is just the start of a wider discussion, and we're calling on clubs across Scotland to stand with their supporters and be part of it."

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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Life could have easier for Lennon Miller when he was thrown on for his Scotland debut.

Despite Friday's match being a non-competitive encounter, there was nothing friendly about the mood at Hampden when the Motherwell teenager entered the pitch with Steve Clarke's side 3-1 down to Iceland.

It would have been easy for the 18-year-old to hide in a challenging atmosphere, but the midfielder constantly made himself available as an option as the Scots desperately searched for a way back into the game.

In only 22 minutes on the pitch, the youngster had 30 touches. He created one chance and misplaced just five of his 27 passes, putting six of them into the final third.

By contrast, fellow midfielder Billy Gilmour managed nine passes into the attack in a 90-minute display. Lewis Ferguson, who also played the entire match, registered eight.

Miller caused a stir when he said he had hopes of becoming Scotland's "best player" in the near future after being called up to the senior squad for the first time in March.

Scotland assistant coach John Carver said those remarks were a mistake by the teenager. Clarke, meanwhile, backed the midfielder for showing ambition.

Three months on, a brave and fearless cameo did Miller's talking for him as he delivered a bright display on a dark night for Scotland.

It remains to be seen whether that brief outing will reward him with a start in Liechtenstein on Monday, but any doubts about his capability of starting international games will now be somewhat quieter.

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Lennon Miller has revealed his ambition to play in the Champions League amid speculation over the Motherwell midfielder's future.

Miller, 18, is in the final year of his Fir Park contract and has been linked with moves to Celtic, Rangers and clubs in Italy among others.

Motherwell rejected "a couple of offers" in January for Miller, who is currently with the Scotland squad for the friendly double-header with Iceland and Liechtenstein, live on BBC Scotland.

"You obviously want to play European football, whether that is Europa League or Champions League," Miller said in a Scottish FA interview.

"You want to play in the big games and in Champions League finals. The Champions League is the one I want in my career. I want to play Champions League football. It's probably the pinnacle.

"I want play to as high as I can in club football. Obviously playing for your country is always the pinnacle of your career I think.

"I just want to play as high as I can, play as many games as I can and enjoy football, that's the most important thing for me. That's where my drive comes from."

Meanwhile, Motherwell defender Stephen O'Donnell hopes Miller makes his Scotland debut in tonight's visit of Iceland to Hampden.

"I hope Lennon gets a chance," O'Donnell told BBC Scotland. "It would be great to see for himself, he's had a good season, his talent is exceptional and his mentality is the thing that gets me the most.

"He's so calm and in the heat of the battle. As a guy he's really nice, quite quiet, but he's grown a bit in that and he's getting a bit sarky here and there, giving the older ones a bit of stick.

"He's settled in, he's very comfortable so hopefully he gets a game and I'm sure there's nothing but big things in his future."

Also in the Scotland squad is former Fir Park team-mate Max Johnston, who has just won the Austrian title with Sturm Graz.

"If he gets the opportunity, he'll show everyone what he's about," added O'Donnell.

"He's again someone I got on pretty well with. He was only really in the first team for maybe a year but went on loan, did well, came back in, got his chance under Stevie Hamill and he's gone to Sturm Graz and done really well, so I'm excited to see how Max has done."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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A three-man sub-committee of Motherwell's executive board will draw up a shortlist, conduct interviews and make their recommendation on who the new manager should be.

That is much the same process that brought in Michael Wimmer after Stuart Kettlewell's departure earlier in the year.

The main man at the helm, and the driving force behind the scenes at Fir Park, is chairman Kyrk Macmillan.

The fashion businessman, whose father-in-law is on the board of Hertha Berlin, is originally from East Kilbride and has watched games at Fir Park with his own father and grandfather for the past 30 years.

He will be assisted in the hunt by chief executive Brian Caldwell and digital marketing chief executive Greg Anderson, who is also one of the key figures in the Well Society, the majority shareholding group who own the club.

Read more: Where are Motherwell in manager hunt?

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Motherwell's pre-season schedule will include a behind-closed-doors friendly against Carlisle United.

The match will take place on 8 July, with the Fir Park side's competitive action kicking off four days later when they travel to Clyde for their League Cup group opener.

Carlisle will play non-league football next term following relegation from England's League Two.

Motherwell are yet to appoint a manager following the surprising departure of Michael Wimmer, who left to join German third-tier club Jahn Regensburg almost two weeks ago.

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Would a move for Robbie Neilson be a safe but sensible decision from Motherwell?

The Fir Park side are still on the search for a new manager following the shock exit of Michael Wimmer, who left for family reasons and joined German third-tier side Jahn Regensburg almost a fortnight ago.

Former Hearts and Dundee United boss Neilson, who departed Tampa Bay Rowdies earlier this year, has said the vacant job at Motherwell would interest him.

The 44-year-old got Hearts promoted twice and led them to two third-placed top-flight finishes across two spells, as well as making two Scottish Cup finals. He also guided United to promotion in 2020.

That record is why former Premiership striker Rory Loy feels Neilson would be a risk-averse appointment as Motherwell, who are looking for a fourth manager in three years, search for some much-needed stability.

"You look at Hearts, appointing Derek McInnes is probably as safe as houses in terms of the risk involved," Loy told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"I think Neilson is pretty similar for Motherwell. I don't like the cliches of 'he knows the league' and 'he knows the players', but it is relevant to an extent. And one thing he has had is success.

"Whether Hearts fans enjoyed how he played or his personality or how he came across, he had a level of success where they were consistently finishing in good positions in the league.

"The difference is, and it's quite rare, Wimmer wasn't actually sacked. Motherwell maybe like what they did and could see where it was going, so they might not be too concerned about going a bit more leftfield again."

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Motherwell have confirmed the signing of Jordan McGhee on a two-year deal, with the club holding the option of a further year, following his Dundee exit.

BBC Scotland reported that the versatile 28-year-old had penned a pre-contract agreement with the Lanarkshire side in January.

Stuart Kettlewell was Well's manager at that point, but he has since left. Kettlewell's replacement, Michael Wimmer, is also no longer at the club.

The Fir Park side are yet to appoint a new first-team boss, but their summer player recruitment continues as McGhee's arrival follows the signing of Austrian midfielder Lukas Fadinger.

McGhee's departure from Dundee brings to an end a six-year stay at Dens Park. The former Hearts and Falkirk player made 197 appearances for the club, scoring 21 goals and gaining top-flight promotion twice.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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This time last year Motherwell's board, fan ownership group and support were braced for a toxic summer amid a potential takeover from a former Netflix vice-president.

That attempted bid collapsed spectacularly when proposed American buyer Erik Barmack withdrew his offer because he felt there were "significant divisions within the fanbase".

In the 12 months since, the club hierarchy has been ripped up and refreshed, one manager has departed after citing fan abuse, and another has left for family reasons.

Three summers ago, Graham Alexander was sacked on the eve of the 2022-23 Scottish Premiership season after his team were chased out of Conference League qualifying by Sligo Rovers.

Club legend Steven Hammell picked up the pieces, but he was gone by the following February after a humiliating Scottish Cup defeat at second-tier Raith Rovers.

With the search for a fourth manager in three years under way, supporters of the Fir Park side will have to wait a little longer for the extended period of normality they crave.

Until last week, fans were optimistic about the summer. There were signs manager Michael Wimmer was starting to flex his coaching pedigree.

Three wins from five post-split games contributed to an overall record of five victories, three draws and four defeats across 12 matches under the former Austria Vienna boss.

Off the pitch, Wimmer spoke of immersing himself in the local culture. A picture of him celebrating in a Lanarkshire pub circulated after an excellent result and performance in a 2-1 win at Rangers in March. All was looking well.

Then, last Friday, news emerged the German had returned home and was not coming back. "This decision was an extremely hard one," he said.

Some fans joked the 44-year-old's frequent LinkedIn activity, and the regular self-promotion of his profile, suggested he was looking for a way out.

But this was real. An "urgent" family matter meant Wimmer wanted to be closer to home, joining third-tier German club Jahn Regensburg.

A "shock to everybody" was how chairman Kyrk Macmillan described it, but the club will now need to move on quickly.

However, with the players not due arrive back for pre-season for another month, Motherwell will not rush or panic in their hunt to find Wimmer's successor.

The board will follow the same process that led them to the German, using data and metrics to judge how candidates align with the club's values, such as youth development.

If Motherwell land on a manager with a similar CV, they will be doing well. But it is worth remembering there are coaches closer to home now available.

Tony Docherty is without a club after being sacked by Dundee, plus Shaun Maloney is also unattached following his Wigan exit.

But Robbie Neilson's record at both Hearts and Dundee United surely makes him the standout among the realistic Scottish options.

The 44-year-old, who left Tampa Bay Rowdies earlier this year, has said the vacant jobs at Motherwell and Dundee would interest him.

Neilson got Hearts promoted twice and led them to two third-placed top-flight finishes across two spells, as well as making two Scottish Cup finals. He also guided United to promotion in 2020.

Motherwell assistant Ahmet Koc, who joined with Wimmer, will continue his role at Fir Park after talks with Regensburg. It is unknown whether or not he will put himself forward for the managerial role.

But it feels like the smart money is on another left-field move. No media outlet had any wind of Wimmer's arrival until just minutes before he was announced, and it will be no surprise if something similar is repeated.

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Motherwell will host Bundesliga 2 side Hertha Berlin in a pre-season friendly at Fir Park on Friday 25 July at 19:00 BST.

The two-time German champions, who were relegated from the Bundesliga in 2023, finished 11th in the second tier last term.

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Motherwell will begin the 2025-26 season with a trip to fourth-tier Clyde in their Premier Sports Cup Group G opener on 12 July.

The Fir Park club are at home to Peterhead and Morton either side of a trip to Stenhousemuir.

Motherwell are currently continuing the search for a new manager following the shock departure of Michael Wimmer last week.

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Motherwell have been drawn alongside Greenock Morton, Stenhousemuir, Peterhead and Clyde in Group G of the 2025-26 Premier Sports Cup.

Yet to appoint a new manager after the shock exit of Michael Wimmer, the tournament will mark the new boss' first game in charge of the Lanarkshire club, with the opening fixture on 12-13 July and further matchdays on 15-16 July, 19-20 July, 22-23 July and 26-27 July.

The eight group winners and three best runners-up will join Scotland's five European entrants - Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee United - in the last 16 on the weekend of 16-17 August.

Motherwell were semi-finalists last term but lost out narrowly to Rangers at Hampden.