Manager Mark is ’Well satisfied as team raise stakes in SPL campaign

Oct 15 2008 by Andrew Weston, Wishaw Press

MOTHERWELL manager Mark McGhee has declared himself “satisfied” with his side’s start to the SPL campaign – despite seeing them currently languishing in eighth position.

The Claret and Amber have been knocked out of both the UEFA Cup and the Co-operative Insurance Cup in recent weeks.

But McGhee has been keen to remain positive as they turn their attentions to league business for the remainder of the year.

Speaking to the Wishaw Press at the beginning of the week, Mark McGhee said: “The thing I have always said about the international break is that you can accentuate the positives.

“It has allowed us to have a look at how we have done so far, see where we are going and now to start afresh for the next phase.”

He continued: “I would say it has been satisfactory so far.

“We are probably worth three more points than we have got at the moment which would obviously put us in the top four or five.

“Without playing any better than we have played, we should have got something against Aberdeen and we should have beaten Dundee United when we missed a penalty and hit the cross bar a couple of times.

“So, yes, I’m satisfied.”

The Steelmen travel to Rugby Park on Saturday to take on third-placed Kilmarnock, who have made an impressive start to the season – after many pundits tipped them for the drop.

Killie finished second from bottom in the last campaign, with only Gretna below them.

However, they come into Saturday’s match buoyed by an impressive victory over Hearts at Tynecastle in their most recent outing.

“I think that last season they had a disappointing year by their standards as they have always been at the other end of the table,” Mark McGhee said.

He continued: “They are playing a slightly different tempo this year.”

“They are more aggressive and in your face in terms of stepping on and closing down and working harder than they did last year.

“I think we can expect a more difficult game than we got last year at times.”

Mark McGhee went on to heap praise on Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies.

He said: “He (Jim Jefferies) has shown again what he is made of by getting a couple of players in and stepping it up again this season.”

“He’s a very experienced manager and knows the SPL inside out, as well as the opposition inside out, and is always a difficult opponent to come up against.”

The nature of the current league campaign means that the Fir Parkers can go level on points with Kilmarnock with a victory on Saturday.

And Mark McGhee feels the Ayrshire club may well join a number of other clubs jockeying for position in the upper echelons of the SPL this season.

The former Wolves manager said: “Certainly, I think one or two that were there last year already look as though they will be there again.

“You have Dundee United, Hibs and Hearts and it looks as though Kilmarnock may well be up there too.

“But it’s more or less the same culprits already.”

Meanwhile, McGhee is confident that skipper Stephen Craigan will shake off the pelvic injury that kept the defender out of Northern Ireland’s two World Cup qualifying fixtures this week.

Stephen Hughes has shaken off a leg knock and should start at the weekend. And David Clarkson has reported back unscathed from Scotland duty.

Long-term injury victim Brian McLean has begun doing some rehabilitation work on his leg, but is still not expected to return to first team contention until the new year.

McLean sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury during Motherwell's pre-season clash with Romanian outfit CFR Cluj back in July.

SATISFIED: Motherwell gaffer Mark McGhee feels his side deserve to be three points better off than they currently are in the SPL. JDWSH markmcghee-1