Ian brought me back and now I feel like I’m stepping into his seat ... it’s been a bit overwhelming
SAYS STEPHEN CRAIGAN
IN front of the digital recorders and microphones, Stephen Craigan was as calm and clear as you would expect a man who earns additional corn as a TV pundit to be.
He’d be forgiven, though, if his internal workings were a little more turbulent than the composed exterior he presented to the media at Fir Park yesterday.
It was only in July Craigan returned to the club for whom he made 379 appearances, many of them as captain. An appointment as Under-20s coach enabled him to also continue working for BT Sport. It was, as he admitted, ‘ a good life balance’.
Now propelled i nto i nterim charge of Motherwell following Ian Baraclough’s sacking on Wednesday, Craigan finds himself with unexpected seniority in the technical area when Partick Thistle visit this afternoon.
Already favourite for a permanent appointment with bookmakers, victory over the Premiership’s bottom team would obviously not harm his case.
Craigan, though, claims he has yet to consider how he might respond should club owner Les Hutchison decide he wants him to remain in his new role. All his thoughts have been trained on the immediate challenge Thistle bring.
Baraclough has already praised his qualities and stated he would have ‘no problem’ if the 38-yearold picked up the reins long-term.
Time will tell if that becomes reality. But Baraclough’s exit has already provided Craigan with close-up evidence of the often brutal nature of management.
‘I’ve never been in a position before where I’ve seen a colleague lose his job,’ said the ex-centre-back.
‘It was raw emotion when he came i n and told us, a huge disappointment for all the staff.
‘It’s been a mixed 48 hours, from the manager l osing his j ob, speaking to the owner, him asking me to take the team. It’s been difficult but Ian said to us: “The game moves on”.
‘It’s difficult because Ian brought me back to the club and I feel like I’m stepping into his seat. It’s been a bit overwhelming at times with everything that’s happened.
‘I’ve been helping him out and suddenly he’s lost his job and I’m in his place. He did say to me: “That’s football, that’s how it goes and how it works”.’
‘He’s a very positive man. He was very composed and very calm and always had a clear head, which can’t always be said of previous managers I’ve worked with. He always looks for the positives, he looked after the players and wanted to take the flak himself. The human side is he’s got a wife and kids to go back to. When you lose someone you know personally, it hurts that little bit more.’
Owner Hutchison s ai d certain squad members should ‘hang their heads in shame’ after Baraclough’s dismissal and Craigan insists the players must start taking i ndividual responsibility.
‘I don’t t hi nk there is any question the players have been underachieving,’ he said. ‘It seems to be that i n any one game four or five are playing well and the rest aren’t, then the opposite next week.
‘The aim has to be getting as many players as we can playing to the top of their level. I can’t decide that, it’s only the players who can. They have to decide that today is the day.’ Craigan was at Cappielow on Tuesday for the 3- 2 extra- ti me defeat that sealed Baraclough’s fate. Hearing some Motherwell fans join with their Morton counterparts in a c hant a bout t he Englishman ‘ getting sacked in the morning’ was as difficult as i t was prophetic.
‘It was very disappointing,’ added Craigan. ‘I’ve respect for Motherwell fans because I spent 15 years at the club and it’s the first time I’ve heard that.
‘You can’t dictate what fans are going to sing. They travel, they pay a lot of money, they’re entitled to their opinion. The fans are a respectful bunch. They’re a demanding bunch, I understand that, but they made their feelings clear and that was disappointing because I was a member of the coaching staff.’
Asked whether he’d fancy the first- team post permanently, Craigan said: ‘I haven’t thought much about it, there’s been so much going on. I’m sure come Sunday or Monday there’ll be conversations at some point.’
Craigan already received counsel from Michael O’Neill. The manager who has led Northern Ireland to the brink of Euro 2016 has warned him not to let the emotions generated by today’s result cloud a longer-term view.
‘I spoke to Michael during the week,’ admitted Craigan, who has been in charge of his country’s Under-19 team. ‘He said if you win, you’ll want the job. But if you lose, it’s not the end of the world. Don’t make it a full up and down thing. Just go, be positive and try to enjoy it if you can.
‘I’m not sure if you can enjoy being a football manager because I’ve never tried it before, but I’ll give it a go.
‘The game against Partick will be interesting. We’re not good enough to think: “It’s only the bottom team”. If someone was sitting second and someone 12th, you may expect that. But when it’s 10th against 12th, I don’t think anyone can come in just thinking we’ll win.’
The fans are a respectful bunch ... a demanding bunch