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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Robbie Hanratty

Motherwell not fazed by playing at Hampden or any Rangers temporary home

Stuart Kettlewell has reiterated that Rangers' Ibrox woes don't change anything for Motherwell amid their upcoming league clash. 

Rangers are expected to confirm a temporary relocation to Hampden Park in the coming days.

This decision comes as a result of delays in the renovation work at their home ground, Ibrox.

Last month, the Govan-based club announced that the completion of the Copland Road Stand renovations had been held up due to material shipment delays from Asia.

This has led Rangers to make contingency plans, which now appear to include moving their Scottish Premiership games, Champions League qualifiers, and potentially even Premier Sports Cup ties to the national stadium, located just south of the city.

Despite the impending change in venue, Motherwell boss Kettlewell remains unfazed about his team's upcoming visit to face Rangers on August 10, the second weekend of the league campaign.

The Steelmen are prepared to take on the Gers regardless of where the match is played.

“It doesn’t change anything for me at all,” Kettlewell said. “I’m certainly not sitting here firing shots at anybody because of a situation.

“Very simply on the given day, we’ll have to play against Rangers. Any time we do, they’re a good side and it’s always a difficult day, it’s always a tough game.


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“You’re going to a place that I know very, very well, I played a lot of games there, certainly my days at Queen’s Park.

“You’re going to one of the best stadiums in the country and what will be a big crowd and all these different factors that are always involved in it.

“But I don’t really focus on the surroundings too much. I focus on what’s on the pitch. So no excuses from our side of it, no changing our mindset and mentality, but we’ve got a few hurdles to cross before we get to that one.”

Kettlewell has added nine signings to his Motherwell squad during the close-season - but he's revealed he isn't stopping there. 

“I’m happy in the fact that I got a good chunk of players in early doors, which obviously gives us a chance to work with them and I keep stressing how important that is," he explained.

“I expect more to be done. I’m certainly working hard to try and do so and again, that’s not a threat to anybody, it’s just being really, really clear that we feel that we’re still short of two or three.”


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The Motherwell head coach is uncertain about when Theo Bair will be available after his participation for Canada in the third-place play-off of the Copa America against Uruguay this Saturday.

Regardless of the time scale, Bair will be given a rest, and the end of the tournament could spark renewed interest in him from potential suitors.

Kettlewell expressed his desire to have Bair in his team for the current season and beyond, but he acknowledged the club's transparent approach to the situation. 

“I would love to have him here this season and beyond but we are being very transparent on it,” he confessed.

“If people are are offering big numbers for the likes of Theo Bair or anybody else at this football club, then we are a selling football club.

“We want to make sure that we’re as strong as we possibly can be, but when transfer fees have been thrown out there and subject to one or two offers that have been put across then quite clearly Motherwell have to sit up and listen. Because that becomes part of our business plan, part of what we have to be as a football club, and have been for many years.”


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Furthermore, Kettlewell addressed Rangers' reported interest in Motherwell's 17-year-old midfield sensation, Lennon Miller.

He stated: “Bigger clubs coming in and telling us that they want a player and we’ve just to roll over, it’s never going to be a thing.”

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