Grimshaw ready to go on the offensive
Motherwell defender is determined to add new dimension to his game
LIAM GRIMSHAW has established a reputation as one of the most consistent full-backs in the Scottish game but the Motherwell man admits it is time he started inflicting more damage in the opposition penalty area. Fir Park manager Stephen Robinson has purred about the player’s dedication, his work-rate and his selflessness. Yet one thing he has been unable to praise the 25-year-old for is his attacking threat. Grimshaw has made 123 senior appearances thus far but has still to celebrate his first goal.
That, he concedes, has to change. Consequently, he intends to follow in the footsteps of Rangers captain James Tavernier, who has scored goals for fun since being signed from Wigan in 2015.
The Ibrox full-back has harvested 46 goals from 242 appearances and Grimshaw regards his countryman as the perfect role model as he attempts to refashion his own approach.
‘I know James had quite a few penalty kicks in there but that’s not the whole story,’ said Grimshaw. ‘He also scores from free-kicks and from open play and his crossing plus his deliveries from set-pieces means that he also gets plenty of assists.
‘As a defender, first and foremost I look upon a clean sheet as being as good as a goal but the role of the full-back is changing and we are expected to do more attacking. Getting goals is something I’d like to add to my game.
‘I’ve had a few assists but I’ve yet to break my duck and maybe that’s down to a lack of belief on my part. As a full-back, I’m never going to be prolific but maybe once I get that first goal more will follow.
‘That would be the icing on the cake but, to be honest, as long as the team is doing well then I don’t really care too much whose name is on the scoresheet.’
Motherwell, who handed injury-hit defender Charles Dunne a short-term deal yesterday, were the Premiership’s shock troops in
2019/20 and Grimshaw believes that achievement is as good as bringing silverware back to Fir Park. ‘Okay, we came third but that’s as good as it’s going to get for us or any of the other clubs who finished below us,’ he argued.
‘Celtic and Rangers are literally in a different league from us financially and, with our budget, we’re never going to challenge them for the title.
‘So a third-place finish for me means that, realistically, we won the league!
‘We don’t have a massive squad and most weeks we play the same team, with the odd tweak. That’s testament to the manager and his coaching and fitness training. ‘People talk about our organisation and our work-rate and we take pride in those things but I think it’s often overlooked that we also have some talented individuals in our side — there certainly aren’t many would swap for any of our rivals’ players.’
Grimshaw is also surprised that Robinson hadn’t been targeted by bigger, wealthier clubs before the Irish FA were granted permission on Wednesday by the Motherwell board to speak to the 45-year-old about the managerial vacancy at Northern Ireland before opting for fromer Fir Park boss Ian Baraclough instead.
‘I don’t get it,’ he said. ‘When you look at the job he’s done here — reaching two cup finals, finishing third and taking us into Europe.
‘And the fact he has done that in spite of us having a turnover of eight or nine players every summer is just remarkable.
‘If we can just keep the core of our squad together, then we’ll have a good chance of repeating what we did last time out.’
Burnley-born Grimshaw first signed professional forms with Manchester United as a teenager in 2012 and had spells at Preston North End and Chesterfield before finding a permanent home with the Steelmen. United’s Class of ’92 — the FA Youth Cup-winning team which produced six first-team players in Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville plus Nicky Butt, all of whom would also play for their countries — was the exception rather than the rule at the Old Trafford club.
As with most big teams, there is a high percentage of players who fail to make the grade.
Grimshaw left United after four years without ever making the first team. Even so, he revealed that his first employers continue to offer assistance to him and other young players who couldn’t make that breakthrough.
‘United keep in touch with all of their ex-players and, during the lockdown, they have been offering us different courses,’ he said.
‘I’ve learned a bit of Spanish and also done a business course, which I enjoyed.’