TALKING MOTHERWELL
PEDRO CAIXINHA’S caravan never made it to the Betfred Cup final before the wheels fell off against Motherwell.
Yet, a man who spent that afternoon tucked up inside his own mobile home in picturesque Portrush will be guest of honour when the Steelmen make an appearance at this month’s showpiece.
That man is Well boss Stephen Robinson’s dad.
The Motherwell manager had his family in the stand to witness his side’s 2-0 victory over Rangers that propelled them towards a date of destiny with Celtic on November 26.
Everyone, that is, apart from his parents who instead were holidaying on the County Antrim coast.
But now their son has guided the Steelmen to within 90 minutes of silverware, Robinson, who has been cleared to be in the dugout for the game after receiving just a one-match ban, says it will be a family affair with his father Winston in attendance.
“He’s coming,” said the Motherwell manager. “He wasn’t at the semi, he was at the caravan, but he’s decided he’s definitely going to come. That’s good news for everyone so hopefully we’ll give him the result.
“I did joke with him and said ‘listen Dad I could actually be sitting next to you’, that probably put him off. Lucky enough I’ll be on the touchline and he’ll be in the stand.
“I couldn’t sit next to him no. He’d be talking to me all the way through the game asking me questions. He’d be picking the team for me!
“I’m calm and composed I don’t fight with anyone.
“I can’t remember what game he came to this season, it might been Ross County at home. It certainly wasn’t Ross County away.
“He’s been to a couple of games this season so they get over three or four times a season.
“He’s 79. He’ll kill me for say- ing this. He was 79 last Monday, so he’s in good shape and good nick.”
Avoiding sitting next to Robinson Snr is just part of the relief for the Motherwell manager on the back of his Hampden hearing on Thursday.
The Northern Irishman was called to appear in front of an SFA panel on the back of being sent to the stand against Rangers in last month’s semi-final, with a previous black mark against his name threatening his ability to manage from the dugout against Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic.
Instead, he will sit in the stand at Dingwall today - which will be about three feet away from the dugout - as he serves a one-game ban.
HE SAID: “I was quite happy to take the one game ban. There was not a lot in it, I think everyone s saw that and the people on the p panel recognised it.
“If I didn’t have any previous incidents then there probably wouldn’t have been anything to it, but I fully accept the one game ban. You’re the head of a football club and you need to act like it.
“Sometimes emotions take over so hopefully that’s a line drawn under it and we can get back to worrying about football.”
Looking ahead to this weekend’s match away to Ross Coun- ty, Robinson is confident his team can bounce back after last week’s 1-0 home defeat to Hibs to continue their charge in the top six.
“Last week we got away with what we’d been doing whether it was a culmination of the three games or the day at Hampden,” he said.
“We made the boys aware of what we need to get back to and why we have been successful. They’ve trained really well, so I’m confident they are back on song again.” contract extension, but he is hungry for more progress.
Speaking ahead of today’s Ladbrokes Premiership encounter with Motherwell, he said: “My grandad is Scottish so I’m eligible to play for Scotland.
“There were a few rumours that I was going to get selected for the 21s, but nothing came of it. Obviously after my goal and a few assists they might look again.
“Everyone is always pushing, trying to get me in the squad, because I know I would do well. It could be massive for me in my career.”