Uefa Cup dream still alive for Motherwell

Apr 16 2008 By Chris Black, Wishaw Press

BRIAN McLean believes ’Well must turn the sandy Fir Park pitch into a bunker as the battle for third spot and European football enters the final weeks of the campaign.

The 23-year-old defender was handed his first SPL start of the season by manager Mark McGhee in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Celtic.

But the ex-Rangers youngster dealt with his baptism of fire well, and after being thrown into action against the champions he’s now keen to play his part in securing the Steelmen’s highest league finish since season 1999/2000.

However, McLean was quick to dismiss talk of whether or not Motherwell could hang on to third spot.

Instead, he believes the destination of the final Euro slot is very much in the hands of the Fir Park men.

He said: “It’s not a case of us hanging onto third because we are very much in the driving seat. We have massive games coming up as well as a game in hand and we need to keep our momentum going.

“We are a couple of points ahead of Dundee United so if we keep our spirits high and remain positive we can be on the front foot.

“It might be a bit difficult for us having so many of our remaining games to play at home given the state of the pitch.

“But we get a boost from the home crowd which helps us at the same time as the pitch hinders our one-touch style, so you can look at it both ways.

“We showed last week against Celtic at Parkhead that we can go away and grind out results so we’ll just need to learn how to do that at Fir Park too.”

McLean has been at Fir Park for two years after he was signed by Terry Butcher following an initial loan spell from the Ibrox side. Opportunities have been limited for the promising youngster as a result of a serious cruciate ligament injury which kept him out for much of last season.

The centre-half slotted in alongside Stephen Craigan on Sunday to replace the banned Bob Malcolm, who saw red in the corresponding fixture at Parkhead, and was given a torrid time by the in-form Aiden McGeady.

It was a day when nothing could stop the champions though as they chased the lingering hope of a third consecutive SPL title.

McLean said: “I was sitting on the sidelines last week so it was a case of the gauntlet being thrown down when I got the nod to start. I only found out on Friday that I’d be starting after the gaffer took me and Paul Quinn aside at training.

“He asked me if I fancied being in the line-up against Celtic, so of course I said yes. You’d have to be daft to knock back a chance like that especially when you’ve been sitting on the bench.

“I’ve been biding my time and chapping on the gaffer’s door but he kept telling me to be patient. I felt I did myself justice so hopefully I’ve done enough to hold down my place in the starting 11.”

Motherwell sit two points ahead of rivals Dundee United and Hibs in the race for the UEFA Cup spot and still have a game in hand.

However, any points from that fixture will be seen as a bonus as it features a relentless Rangers side visiting Fir Park in their pursuit of a domestic treble.

The Steelmen will have the opportunity to put that lesson to test a week on Saturday when Dundee United bring their brand of physical football to Lanarkshire for the live Setanta clash.

Arabs are said to thrive in sand so McGee’s men will have to dig in to keep on track and avoid being beached.