HOME WIN IS GRAHAM AIM
GRAHAM ALEXANDER knows three points today can take his Motherwell side above Hearts and give him bragging rights in the Glasgow suburb where he lives.
Well boss Alexander and Hearts gaffer Robbie Neilson are near neighbours and good pals going back to their days playing for Scotland.
Alexander, named Premiership Manager of the Month for September, said: “I played with Robbie a couple of times with Scotland and against his sides when we managed down south.
“He lives down the road from me in Glasgow too. If we bump into each other on Saturday night the match might continue!
“I know him and Lee McCulloch well. They’re great guys, real football guys and have done a great job bringing Hearts straight back out of the Championship and starting so well.
“It’s Robbie’s group, his club, he’s been there as a player and manager and I think that would help him hit the ground running.”
Alexander is focused on his own side and last week’s 2-1 win over Ross County on the back of the impressive 1-1 draw at
Ibrox gives the Fir Park side the chance to go top this afternoon.
He said: “It’s a sign of how far the team’s progressed but I hate when people talk about big games as if the others don’t count.
“In every game we go into we put pressure on ourselves for three points.
“It’s who you are playing for - the supporters, your family, the board.
“These people all want to swap places with you.
“There’s so many people want to be in your shoes so go and embrace it.”
Well will take a 1,000strong backing across the M8 and, on a week when both sides wrote to the SPFL urging action to end the lock-out of travelling fans at the Old Firm, Alexander says away support is an essential.
He said: “When it’s a 50,000 or 60,000 seater stadium and you can’t find room for 1,000 away fans it’s questionable.”
Well skipper Stephen O’Donnell will make his 50th appearance in Gorgie.
He said: “We’ve shown we can compete with anyone. We are on a great run and have a chance of being successful.”