Lennon has whole goal to aim for
Gaffer Kettlewell is on a mission to turn hitkid Miller into the complete midfielder
HE could hardly be described as a Jack of all trades and a master of none.
Aged just 17, it seems far more likely that Lennon Miller will emerge from his big breakthrough season at Motherwell to become one of the most sought-after midfield operators of his generation.
but the working-class grounding he’s receiving from boss Stewart Kettlewell ought to help stand this precociously gifted youngster in good stead for the long journey ahead. Wherever it ends up taking him.
With only a handful of firstteam games under his belt, Miller is already being touted as an obvious target for both halves of the Old Firm. And with clubs across Italy and beyond fishing in Scotland’s talent pool, Miller just might end up with the world at his feet.
But, for as long as he remains at Fir Park, Kettlewell has a plan to maximise his potential.
The manager explained: “My dad was a tradesman – a joiner for years – and I was brought up listening to him moaning about the young generation.
“They would call themselves tradesmen but they could only fit windows or could only do joinery or finishing.
“From a man well into his 60s he says, when he was young, they were educated in a bit of everything because that would give them a better chance to earn money.
“I link that to midfield players. It’s my example. If you can do all aspects then, when the manager comes to pick the team, it gives you a better chance of being able to play.
“We always talk about adjustments on the pitch. I’m a huge believer in making alterations in games without making changes to personnel.
“So while Lennon has the ability to go forward he also has the ability to operate as a deep-lying midfielder as well.
“Some players have a good skill set on one job, that’s fine.
but I strive to find guys that can do two, three or four different aspects of what that role is.
“I use myself as the example, my obsession was trying to get better at every aspect. “Could I score more goals, make more tackles? Could I defend my box better? Make more forward runs? “It takes us back to what the old-school way of playing as a midfielder was. I was generally used to playing in a 4-4-2, where you played as a middle two. “When one went, the other sat. It was that balance between players that could do both aspects. “You take ownership of what’s happening around you. “It’s something I believe in and something I believe Lennon can do as well. He can score goals, he scored a couple at the start of the season which was great. “A lot of time we have deployed him as a deep-lying midfielder which takes away the opportunity to score goals but, having said that, there’s been a number of good saves and shots from distance from him.
“Harry Paton, blair Spittal, Callum Slattery. Andy Halliday – they are all all-rounders and it’s what we are asking them to do specifically in games.”
To further accelerate Miller’s progression, Kettlewell will remain true to his own beliefs.
He added: “Young players need the opportunity to play. You have to have belief in them.
“People talk about, ‘Let’s make Scottish football better, I believe in youth.’
“You hear it every week and I think, ‘Well let’s see the proof !’
“You need to give boys opportunities. There’s serious talent and ability and lads you can see who will have a career and that only comes about by the manager or coaching staff wanting to give them opportunities.
“You need to be able to accept mistakes because they won’t get everything right. but senior players can do that as well.
“So are you actually trying to evolve and make a bit of money for your football club or produce a player that plays 200-300 games for the club and becomes a legend – or is it just a shortterm fix?
“I have always been a longterm thinker.
“For me at Queen’s Park it came with billy Stark and Kenny brannigan who gave me my opportunity. These guys believed in trying to give opportunities to young players.”
He has the ability to go forward but also to operate as a deep-lying midfielder STUART KETTLEWELL ON LENNON MILLER