Kevin van Veen has dedicated his 22-goal haul to the boo boys who criticised his early-season form, and says his impressive tally is really for the Motherwell fans who were always behind him.
The 31-year-old Dutchman notched a double in 33 minutes of Saturday’s 3-0 home win over Livingston, and was only denied a hat-trick by a VAR call, with Max Johnston bagging the third in 34 minutes.
Van Veen has scored seven goals in his last four games, is loving life at Fir Park, and had a message for those who doubted him – even when he had 10 goals to his name by the end of October, in a struggling team.
He told Lanarkshire Live Sport : “I dedicate them to all the criticism and hate from a small group that I had at the start of the season, when I was already popping up with the goals.
“I would say keep talking, because I will keep delivering.
“Even at the start of the season I had 10 or 11 goals, people were criticising me when I was the one who was trying to stand up for the team.
“Now they all want to come on board when I’m doing well, and I don’t think so – all my respect is towards the supporters who always supported me in good and bad times.
“People who are clapping now who have been very harsh on me and criticising me, those goals are not for them.
“This is for the support that I’ve always had this season.”
Van Veen added: “People think I’m a joker or are laughing at me when I’m saying stuff – I’m happy that we got three points, but I’m angry and I’m hungry inside.
“I don’t care what anybody says. I believe in myself, I believe in this team, and in my team-mates.”
The striker is pleased that Motherwell have dragged themselves up to eighth in the Premiership table, but says they should be doing better than that.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” he said. “I’m happy for my team-mates, for the club and the gaffer and the staff, because everybody has been amazing.
“We’re clear in eighth, but that hurts me a little bit, because we’re too good to stand where we are.
“A couple of weeks or months ago we were lost, but this gaffer has come in and has picked us right up, let’s be honest.
“I wish we could turn back time a little bit and start the season with this gaffer, and this staff.
“That’s nothing against Steven Hammell or anything like that, but look at how we’re performing.”
But van Veen warned his side can’t become complacent as they welcome bottom side Dundee United to Fir Park this weekend.
He said: “We can’t be over-confident now and can’t drop five or 10 per cent. We still need to work very hard, believe in what we’re doing, and do whatever we’re good at.
“We’re at home; make the fans happy, make the club happy, hopefully we’ll keep a clean sheet, I’ll get a couple of goals again."
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