If Stephen feels he can achieve his ambitions at Fir Park, so will others
O’Donnell deal key for Well says gaffer
GRAHAM ALEXANDER thought he was just delaying the inevitable when Stephen O’Donnell extended his short-term deal at Motherwell until the end of the season.
That was in January, and even he expected him to be on his way in the summer.
But now he’s convinced the Scotland star to stick around for another two years, the Fir Park boss hopes the right-back can help him persuade others to do likewise.
Delighted O’Donnell has put pen to paper on a new two-year contract.
Skipper Declan Gallagher heads a list of Well stars also in the final few months of their deals, including Allan Campbell, Chris Long, Liam Polworth and Devante Cole, among others.
And Alexander is hopeful O’Donnell’s commitment can convince others something is stirring at Fir Park.
He hailed the deal with the international ace and said: “It is a big boost for me as the manager as it tells me we can attract really good players and internationals.
“He has seen what we are trying to do in the future here and he wants to be part of that.
“He is the best right-back in Scotland and he has done well for his country.
“In January I thought that it was only a matter of time before he left the club.
“We wanted it to be in the summer. But the more I got to know him and he got to know us, we spoke about things.
“We got a positive response so we went with it and it is pleasing he is staying on.
“There are other good players we want to keep so we will move on to them next.
“All players want to be successful, don’t they? They go where they think they can win.
“That’s why we are pleased
Stephen has seen that. He had suitors in January and he’d have had them again in the summer.
“He feels he can achieve his ambitions with club and country as a Motherwell player, that tells its own story.
“If that attracts good players then it makes it easier to talk to them about our ambitions and it’s a club players can achieve their ambitions, too.”
Meanwhile, Alexander insists Rangers loanee Jake Hastie is a reinvigorated player after a heart-to-heart last month.
The winger returned to Fir
Park on loan from Ibrox last summer but has struggled to hit the heights of his breakthrough year and has made one start and three sub appearances under Alexander.
Hastie, 22, is due to return to Rangers in the summer.
Alexander said: “Jake made a good impression in the first week but he couldn’t play our second game against Rangers and someone else came in and did well.
“He went under the radar a little bit and probably lost a bit of heart. We spoke to him a month ago, we did extra work with him, he did extra work himself and is reinvigorated.
“Some players learn quicker than others but they will get to understand how important training is to me as a manager and when it comes to me picking the team.
“I don’t believe that you can turn it on and off how you train and perform. It has to be a consistent daily habit.
“Once they understand that they get picked by me or prosper under me. If it isn’t there then they won’t play.
“Jake has seen that, he’s in much better shape. The door is there for him and others, it is about them kicking it down.”