Humphrey: ‘Well European hopes
Ex-Motherwell hero Chris Humphrey has backed the Steelmen to mount a challenge for the top two after a blistering start to the season.
The retired winger was part of the ‘Well side who finished second in the Premiership and were able to enjoy European adventures against Levante and Panathanikos.
However, Stephen Robinson’s side have now topped that start to the campaign in 2013 - getting five wins on the board already - and off to their best start in five years.
The 32-year-old, who is currently managing Gretna 2008 in the Lowland League, has backed the Fir Park outfit to repeat the exploits - and even overtake one of the Old Firm sides this year.
Celtic currently sit just three points ahead of ‘Well, and Rangers are five ahead in top spot.
“You look at them now and their start to the season and they are absolutely flying,” he said.
“We played them in pre-season and you could tell they have signed some really good players, and brought up some more really top players.
“The work the manager has been doing there is great, and it’s really showing now.
“They have a set way of playing and when I spoke to him in pre-season he came across really well.
“I always admire a manager who wants to give young players a chance, and that’s something I would like to do now that I am a manager.
“They have always had a great academy, and have always done it. If you have talented young players why not give them their chance and use them?
“Motherwell aren’t a club that can afford to go out there and spend big money on players. They have to rely on free players and the academy. “When I left after that Champions League year and when we finished second there was a few big changes, there had to be a rebuild. “Myself, [Darren] Randolph, Nicky Law, Higgy [Michael Higdon], Henrik [Ojamaa] and Jamie [Murphy] all left the club. “So now to see them getting back to where they were when we were there, competing at the top of the table, is brilliant. “The problem with t h a t is the bigger teams will start to look at their players, but this season if they can keep the core of the team together they are going well.” He went on: “The chance to play in big European games like we did is the carrot at the end, and why can’t they do it again? “Why can’t they go on and finish third, or why can’t they go on and finish second? Why can’t they go and do something unheard of and overtake a Rangers or Celtic?
“That’s the benefit of not having the extra pressure on you. With this manager and crop of players if they have the belief they could go and do something unexpected.”
Having experienced the battle at the top of the table himself he advised the players to just take it one game at a time ahead of the clash with Aberdeen this weekend.
“The mood around Motherwell at the time was that going into games nothing was expected of us,” he continued.
“That means that you are working in a really relaxed atmosphere and we had a really good team.
“That really helped us finish where we finished, we just ticked the games off one by one.
“It’s not like at a Rangers or Celtic where you have to go and win or the fans will get on your back. When you are at Motherwell you are able to just go out there and perform.”