ALEXANDER’S PROUD TO SIT ON DEFENCE
GRAHAM ALEXANDER was bursting with pride for his Motherwell players despite being denied his first win as Fir Park boss.
The Fir Park boss hailed his defence for surviving a late Rangers onslaught to ensure Well picked up the point that moved them off bottom spot in the table.
Devante Cole’s opener had Motherwell on course for a first home top flight win over Gers in 18 years before Cedric Itten headed a late leveller.
Alexander was gutted after TV replays showed the Swiss striker was offside but he said: “I’m proud of the players and everyone at the club.
“A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes this week with ground staff and office staff to try and create an environment for the players to feel together and we saw that today.
“We were excellent in the first half and scored a fantastic goal to go 1-0 up. Rangers will always put you on the back foot with their quality.
“When you’re 1-0 up there is a tendency to try and protect.
“Although I didn’t see it at the time, it looks like an offside goal got them a point.
“As an ex-full-back I used to hate it when the centre-halves got all the credit, I worked just as hard as they did!
“But when those balls came in the central defenders were awesome, and the whole team defended well.
“We had to take the two wide lads off because of tiredness, really.
“They had to press and be disciplined in their shape. It wasn’t any tactical thing, we didn’t want to change it. It was just the work they’d put in.
“To play and defend like that you have to have everyone and we did today. Those centre-halves will recognise that as well.
“We work hard because it won’t turn over from a new manager’s bounce. I don’t believe in that.
“It’s about the work on the training ground and the players being diligent, intelligent and humble enough to know where we are and work out of it.
“I’d expect confidence to grow a little bit more but that game doesn’t win three points next week.
“We have to do it all again and that’s what we prepare ourselves for.”
Alexander will continue to assess the squad before deciding whether to recruit this month.
He said: “I want to assess what we have in the building first.
“I want to give these boys the opportunity before I make a decision on them and on bringing other people in.
“We want to keep the quality we have at the club then add on to it.”