New Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson is intent on building on the foundations put in place by Jens Berthel Askou last season and has no plans to deviate significantly from his predecessor’s style.
The 35-year-old Swede, who was sacked after two and a half years as Rosenborg head coach last month, replaced Askou at Fir Park this week after the Dane was headhunted by Toulouse following an impressive campaign in which he was lauded for his bold, possession-based approach.
“I can’t praise the style of play here at Motherwell enough,” Johansson, who spoke to Askou before taking the job, said in a club interview. “My way of playing previously in all the clubs that I’ve been at has been related to that way, possession-based, trying to dominate games in that way.
“We start with a very exciting Conference League qualifier in the Faroe Islands, and we have some weeks to prepare for that, and everything that we’ll do now is to try to get the best out of the fundamentals from last year and try to just keep on building on that.
Read more
-
Celtic 'close' to agreement for key backroom staff as longtime coach nears exit
-
Steve Clarke on Morocco memories, tournament lessons and the task facing Scotland
-
Andy Robertson: Captain on Boston takeover and keeping Morocco's dangerous duo quiet
“In football you can’t ask for more weeks than what we’ve got at this point (to prepare) so the good thing is that I’m here because I am a coach that likes to play in a similar way that the club has been conducted last year on the pitch, so I don’t think that people should be too afraid that there’s going to be major changes.
“We will still try to be constructive, playing with the ball, having deep runs and trying to attack the box of the opponent in our way.
“I think that going back to using the positives of that fundamental that’s been built here over the past 12 months with Jens and the coaching staff, that’s what will provide us the possibility to add some details, to put in my ideas, but using the strong fundamental that’s already built.”
Meanwhile, Well have announced defender Liam Gordon has departed the club following the expiry of his contract.
