Lasley: Finishing third is just start for the Steelmen
Motherwel l assistant manager Keith Lasley insists they won’t bask in the success of being the Premiership’s third force but are determined to build on it.
The Fir Park outf it returned to pre- season training this week and Lasley admits it was great to be back with the players and coaching staff since football was halted in March because of the coronav i rus pandemic.
And Lasley revealed after congratulating the squad on finishing third last term and qualifying for European competition, their focus has been on the forthcoming campaign.
The former
S t e e l me n captain knows any suc c e s s f u l side are a l ways looking towards their n e x t ch a l l e n g e , rather than looking back at what they have achieved.
And Lasley insists Stephen Robinson’s charges won’t stand still but are always striving to improve.
He said: “We have not been used to having such a lengthy lay- off now between seasons, normally it’s just a few weeks.
“The first couple of days was a bit strange but at the same time it’s been great to be back training.
“The biggest thing about it was getting to see the players and the other coaches and the manager.
“We’d done a few Zoom calls and we’ve been at the other end of a screen during lockdown but it’s been good to be back training and together again. But with football it’s a quick ‘ well done’ and then it’s onto next season.
“We really are looking forward again and getting r e a dy f o r a no t h e r campaign.
“It’s been nice to be back in among the staff, the other coaches and the players but it’s a quick ‘well done’ for finishing third and then move on.
“Be better than you were yesterday is pretty much what our football club is all about.
“Now we’re preparing for a new season and we are looking forward. That’s what is driving us, to try to be better than we were lalast season.
“We’ve got ssome exciting sstuff to look fforward to, with the added inincentive of European ffootbal l as wwell.”
Lasley has b e e n imimpressed by thet physical condition the players have reported back for pre- season training in after a lengthy lay- off.
He said: “It’s been a good week, you go through the things you want to achieve in your f irst week and we’ve certainly been happy with what the players have given us so far and how things have gone.
“The days are gone now when players are sitting on their backside during their time off.
“There is a different mentality now and they look after themselves away from the park.
“The players have turned up in good condition and in terms of their base f itness we’ve been very pleased with that.”
Now we’re preparing for a new season and we are looking forward