Interim Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell described the players as ‘almost perfect’ in their 2-0 win over third-placed Hearts yesterday – but insisted he’s not ‘pitching’ for the vacant managerial post.
Kettlewell’s temporary stint in charge has seen him lift the Steelmen six points clear from the bottom of the Premiership table with two wins out of two and he will now await the decision of the Fir Park board as to whether he will land the job on a permanent basis.
Ian Holloway and Grant McCann have also been interviewed for the role, with a decision expected this week.
‘They were almost perfect again. I don’t want to make it about me,’ he said. ‘There’s been no contact or conversation and I’m not expecting it. I wasn’t thinking that was going to be the case win, lose or draw.
‘I want to get up the road and try chill out, this week has been chaos, hectic, trying to work towards six points which we’ve managed to achieve.
‘Individually, if I do make it about myself, I think you have to reset and try to get some sleep as well – that’s not been coming too freely recently.
‘I am genuinely not pitching myself out for this job. If the club think I can help them out, there is a conversation to be had.’
Goals from Jon Obika and Blair Spittal earned Motherwell a deserved win against a below-par Hearts side. Having gone almost six months without a home win in the league, Well have recorded back-to-back successes on home soil for the first time since December 2021, as well as keeping a first clean sheet since October.
‘The clean sheet is really pleasing, the quality of opposition we faced today, what I said before the game wasn’t for effect – it was because that’s what I genuinely believe,’ Kettlewell added.
‘I thought the players handled the game so well, you could just see the belief with their shape and their discipline. All credit goes to the players for what is a massive victory.
‘The supporters here got something that they fully deserved, you listen to them at full-time and they are firmly behind the players – but the players gave them something to be behind, it’s nice to see that.’
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