The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Performance pleasing, but points are the priority
“What I will say is that it won’t change the way I play,” added McGowan.
“Getting the armband means that I must have been doing something right in the first place so there is no reason for me to do anything differently.”
While the Tangerines failed to get off to a winning start, they didn’t play badly against Aberdeen, particularly in defence.
For most of the game they looked pretty solid at the back and McGowan said: “Obviously the end result wasn’t what we were looking for but I think our performance was roughly at the level that we want it to be.
“There is no point, though, in playing well for 80-odd minutes and then conceding a goal.
“We really need to turn those narrow defeats into wins.
“It is only the second game of the season and there is already pressure there. Still, that’s where you want to be – involved in pressure games.
“The club expects victories and it is up to us players to make sure we go out and put on a performance good enough to get three points.”
McGowan should come up against a fellow Aussie in the Motherwell line-up today in the lively form of frontman Scott McDonald.
He said: “Scott is someone who did a similar thing to what I did.
“When I was growing up in Australia, he was someone I looked up to.
“He had done well at Motherwell then got his move to Celtic and went on to score in the Champions League.
“He showed that if you do take the risk as a young boy in leaving Australia then it can work out.
“He was able to adapt to the weather and make out the Scottish accent, which can be difficult at times!
“He did all that and if I can go on and have as successful a career as he has already had then I will be doing all right.
“He is a very good striker and someone we will have to keep an eye on if we are to keep a clean sheet at Motherwell.
“I have played against him a couple of times but that was when he was at Celtic and I was at Hearts.
“Last season I didn’t play against Motherwell, mainly because we played Celtic five or six times!
“So it will be good to face him but I will be trying to keep him as quiet as possible.”