McGHEE WANTS TO DEVELOP ENGLISH STARS

MARK McGHEE believes Fir Park can become a breeding ground for young talent from the biggest Barclays Premier League clubs. But the Motherwell manager insists he will not simply wave in an influx of English talent if they can’t help his side in the short-term. Scottish clubs have experienced the highs and lows of the loan system in recent months, with goalkeeper Danny Ward excelling at Aberdeen and Liam Grimshaw particularly impressing for the Steelmen. However, they have since both returned south — with Ward being recalled by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and Grimshaw sold to Preston North End by parent club Manchester United while Motherwell were trying to put an offer together for him. McGhee reflected on the pros and cons of the system yesterday and maintained that if a young player returns to his employers with glowing praise for his temporary home, then more talent will follow. ‘I think that is one thing we hope to benefit from,’ he said. ‘We know the boy (Grimshaw) was very generous in his praise for everyone here, the platform he was given and the way he was treated. ‘That will encourage other clubs like Manchester United to feel they can trust us to take players here and not just use them and send them back. We will develop them. ‘I feel really strongly about Connor Ripley, too. I think he is a terrific goalie but we want to send him back as a goalie that will compete for Middlesbrough’s first team. ‘We want to work hard with him, not just use him while he is here. ‘If we keep doing the job we are doing with them and improving them, then I’d hope more will come. ‘But we will only do it if they can give us something we don’t have. We don’t want to bring in players who are going to block the way for one of our young lads. We are trying very hard to get them in the team. ‘If we get someone in any position who is better than what we have, regardless of age, if we can get him and afford him, then we will take him.’ Grimshaw (left), who can play in defence and midfield, provided Motherwell with a much-needed boost during his loan spell — but then came an example of the negative side of the system. The club had him ready to commit to a permanent deal, but when Preston came in offering a far more lucrative, two-and-ahalf year contract, Grimshaw was off. McGhee admitted he was disappointed to lose The player, who caught the eye during 16 appearances for the Fir Park side after arriving last summer. ‘It was a bit of a blow to lose Grimshaw because it looked as if he was signing permanently the night before, so we were caught by surprise,’ he said. ‘We were blessed with Grimmy, who I think was good for us. ‘We need to address that and we are. We had agreed a contract and everything and then at the last minute we were gazumped, but that can happen.’ McGhee has to put the Grimshaw situation and a 6-0 defeat to Hearts last weekend behind him now as Motherwell face fifth-placed Ross County tomorrow. Their hammering in Gorgie apart, McGhee cites the overall improvement since his team’s 3-0 defeat at Dingwall in November as a reason to be cheerful. ‘I go back to the last time we played Ross County and, if you saw us that day, you would have thought we were never going to win a game again,’ he said. ‘Instead of that, we went five or six games unbeaten.’

MOTHERWELL are ready to play hardball over Marvin Johnson and intend on holding out for close to £1million for their winger ahead of an expected £400,000 bid from Barclays Premier League side Bournemouth.