Askou on Slattery ban, Just return & Falkirk challenge
Jens Berthel Askou has speaking with the media before Motherwell's Scottish Premiership home match against Falkirk on Saturday. Here are the key points: On Callum Slattery being given a retrospective four-match ban - two games of which are suspended - for simulation against St Mirren in February, Askou says: "Time will tell whether it's the start of a change of culture, or whether it's a perfect recipe for a governing body to risk losing the trust from the people they are here to serve. The Motherwell boss admits it is "a big blow" to be without midfielder Slattery for two games and adds: "Whether we agree or not on what they have concluded, on the evidence that they have submitted, that's a different story.
We have to accept it and try and learn from this case. While Askou "applauds" the Scottish FA for trying to clamp down on players acting "cynically or dishonestly", he says there needs to be "a lot of consistency in that, for not just us to have had a lesson, but for the culture to change". He admits the severity of the punishment surprised him: "If you get caught doing it in the game, then I think the most you can get is a booking, so of course, but if that's what it takes, and they think that's what it takes to change a culture, then obviously that's what they've decided.
" In-form New Zealand international Elijah Just has trained with the squad after his long-haul return after scoring for his country and Askou says: "The good thing is he's used to that. He knows how to deal with that. He's not six or seven feet tall, so he doesn't squeeze in a seat for 18 hours!
" The Dane is hopeful that some longer term injured players may start being reintegrated with the first team shortly. Motherwell's last defeat at Fir Park came against Falkirk back in September and Askou insists "we've progressed a lot" since that game but also acknowledges the Bairns "have developed probably even more since then, added some new players with quality". He adds: "It's going to be a really, really big game for us and a hard opponent.
We have to, especially defensively, really be at our best because it's a team that can hurt us in all sorts of ways in possession and also in transitions. "