Hammellmorethanhappy to put ‘retirement’ on hold
TALKING WELL
FIFTEEN days is all it took f or Steven Hammell’s retirement plans to be put on hold. On January 5, the 35-year-old Motherwell left-back announced he was hanging up his boots to take up a role as head of the club’s academy, with him staying registered as a player just in case until the end of the month.
Hammell would be the first to admit he had probably resigned himself to a watching brief from the dug out or behind the goal, a vantage point he received a rapturous applause from on Saturday as he trotted out for a warm up.
Little did he, or the Fir Park crowd witnessing Motherwell’s 2-0 Scottish Cup win over Hamilton Accies, know his involvement in the game was going to be stepped up a notch.
An injury to new signing Tom Aldred saw Stephen Robinson call back the veteran with Motherwell already two goals to the good, and Hammell was afforded an unexpected chance to take to the field once more for the club he first represented 583 games ago.
“The manager turned to me and said, ‘Are you ready to go on?’ And I said, ‘Of course’,” Hammell, who feared the 3-1 drubbing to Accies on December 30 would have been his last game in claret and amber, revealed.
“It was good to come on and play a part in what was a good win for us. It’s important we started this half of the season well and I thought we were comfortable.
“It’s a hard one because I’ve club. Another former academy graduate was added last week in David Clarkson who will take care of the intermediate academy and the U18s.
“It’s excellent, I’ve got him working already,” joked Hammell. “I spoke to him and I knew there was an opening because there were a few outgoing and with the new Project Brave structure I knew I had space to bring one person in and it goes back to what I’ve just said. If you can surround yourself with good people who are well qualified and enthusiastic you’ll do well.
“He’s also got good knowledge of the game and he’s enthusiastic about the kids. H ell still be involved with coaching the teams, so I thought it was absolutely perfect.
“It was the decision for him as well. He’s worked this year to try and get back playing. When I asked him he knew it was the right decision so I’m so happy to have him.”
Winning a trophy with Motherwell is something which evaded Hammell, including in November’s Betfred Cup final against Celtic. Would he consider coming out retirement properly if the Lanarkshire club made it to May’s Scottish Cup showpiece?
“Another comeback! We got there in November and it was a great experience despite coming up short again,” he said. “If I look back on my career, it would have been something to have won that cup. It just wasn’t to be.
“But there is nothing to say this group of boys can’t go and do it. If not this year, then within the next couple of years. There is a good squad here and they are capable of doing it.” term, despite beating Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup earlier this month.
Midfielder Gilbey says some players need to have a long hard look at themselves in the mirror.
He said: “Some people might think they’re doing okay, but clearly we’re not. It’s easy to point fingers, but it’s the players at the end of the day. We’re employed to be at our best and we’re clearly not if we are where we are in the table.
“I told the lads to go and have a long hard look at themselves.
“I don’t know if the pressure got to us when I mentioned the importance of getting three points at half time, but we stopped doing what we were doing.”