Reynolds 'Well up for new season challenge

Jul 16 2008 by Andrew Weston, Wishaw Press

HIGHLY rated stopper Mark Reynolds believes Motherwell are capable of reaching the giddy heights of third place in the SPL once again in the upcoming campaign and claims the club will not suffer from second season syndrome.

The Fir Park side held off the challenge of Hibernian, Dundee United and Aberdeen at the tail end of last season to secure the return of European football to Lanarkshire for the first time in 13 years.

And Reynolds, who was the subject of a £700,000 early-summer bid from Rangers, feels the ’Well squad are perfectly capable of achieving similar success once again.

“Last year I think people were hoping and thinking that our bubble would burst eventually,” the 21-year-old told the Wishaw Press shortly before flying out to Austria for the club’s week long pre-season training camp.

He added: “But we managed to keep it going for the whole of the season so I reckon other sides now know that we are a team to be reckoned with and that we can keep up the consistency over a whole campaign.”

“We have pretty much got the same squad of players as last year and have already added a couple of boys as well so there is no reason why we can’t aim for third spot again.

“We know it will be hard, but it is achievable.”

The defender, who was the only SPL player to play in every minute of every game last season, hopes that a return to the same training base in Obertraun this week can pay rich dividends like it did last summer.

He said: “We know that it could help us mount a successful campaign again.

“It has everything that we need and I think the manager was impressed with it last year which is why we have gone back.

“It is quite remote and in the mountains.

“The facilities and training pitches are top class, the accommodation is great and the food is really good as well.”

The high levels of fitness the Motherwell players displayed last term was a hallmark of their success and Reynolds expects to be put through the mill once more in Austria by Mark McGhee and his backroom staff.

“When we came in last year for pre-season with the new manager we didn’t know what to expect,” he revealed.

“But after experiencing that we knew how hard it was going to be this pre-season and how hard the manager was going to push us.

“We know the rewards it is going to give us throughout the season and our fitness levels will definitely help us in the campaign ahead.”

Utility player Bob Malcolm became Mark McGhee’s first summer signing last week, signing a 12-month contract having joined initially on a short-term deal in February.

And Reynolds believes his experience could be vital in the forthcoming campaign, saying: “When he came in he was massive for us and brought a physical presence that we have not really got.

“Although he is one of the older players in the squad he is by no means a veteran.

“But he has got a massive amount of experience and it is great to have someone like that around the dressing room.”

Meanwhile Reynolds could be set to form a potentially watertight central defensive partnership with former Scotland internationalist John Kennedy.

The Celtic star has joined Motherwell on their pre-season tour and gaffer McGhee wants to sign the 24-year-old defender on a loan deal.

McGhee said: “Everyone knows we were caught a bit short defensively last season and I’m hoping we can bring John in until January.”

Celtic youngster Jim O’Brien also flew out with the Fir Parkers and McGhee is hoping to tie up the winger on a permanent basis.

O’Brien spent the second half of last season on loan at Dundee United.