Askou on 'really cool' split, new training facility & Hearts
[SNS] Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou has been speaking to the media before his side travel to face Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts on Saturday. Here are the key lines: Askou thinks the split is "really cool" and says the format is better than Denmark's top flight, where the split comes after 22 games - he feels that is too early. The Dane says the upcoming schedule is a really important phase for the growth of the club.
Given the strength of the top six, he doesn't think any team in the top half will win all of their post-split games. Askou hasn't set a points target for finishing fourth but says Motherwell will go out to win every game. The Motherwell boss says he hasn't spoken to the Scottish FA's head of refereeing Willie Collum about contentious decisions in last weekend's defeat by Falkirk.
He says he leaves that to the club's chief executive Brian Caldwell. Askou accepts mistakes will happen and there is no point in drawing things out. On plans for Motherwell to build their own training facility at Dalziel Park , Askou says he has had a lot of input into the project.
Saturday's trip to Hearts presents a "big challenge" and Askou hopes it will be more like the 3-3 draw at Tynecastle in August, rather than the goalless draw at Fir Park in November, which he says was more tactical. Team news: Liam Gordon and Callum Hendry are back in full training, while Askou didn't rule out a weekend return for Eythor Bjorgolfsson. Regan Charles-Cook will be back in training next week.