Motherwell boss provides update on whether new signing can feature in league opener

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell says the club are still waiting for a work permit before Apostolos Stamatelopoulos can be considered for action this weekend.

The striker has signed this week from Newcastle Jets ahead of the first Premiership match of the campaign versus Ross County at Fir Park. He comes in after Theo Bair’s move to Auxerre in France, and bolsters a forward line that has Filip Stuparevic, Moses Ebiye, Zach Robinson and Mark Ferrie within it.

Kettlewell has provided an update on the forward ahead of the weekend, and the potential he sees for him in a Motherwell jersey. Weekend involvement is in the balance but the onus is on ever

He said: “He’s a little bit behind, different time scales, we find that quite a bit with lads coming up from England as well. A bit of a travel, becoming a father, there’s a number of different things in there. We are awaiting international clearance and a work permit just now so we need to see how that goes over the next two days as to what his involvement could be on Saturday, if at all.

“He’s slightly behind with his fitness levels but we knew that. He’s done some runs himself trying to see if he can make up a bit of ground. I am confident he’s a fit lad, someone who has played a lot of football last season so I don’t think it will be a fight to get him up to speed.

“This thought process of one player coming in and scoring all the goals.. for any team to be successful it can’t just be one player. We are going to have to get goals from set plays, from midfield, and without question you want it from your forwards. We must get a contribution from everybody.”

Elsewhere on the park, Aston Oxborough and Krystian Hegyi are competing for the goalkeeper spot. Number one placement is up for grabs after Liam Kelly’s exit, with both impressing Kettlewell.

He explained: “What I was trying to do is bring two number ones to the football club. Aston was already here and has had to be very patient, Krystian comes in with good pedigree and potential. It gives me a headache as to who starts in the first game.

“That is what I was after. I have been transparent with the lads, they got two games in the League Cup to showcase what they can do. Both have equipped themselves really well and it becomes a difficult decision. I want that in every position.

Captain Paul McGinn, Tom Sparrow and Marvin Kaleta were amongst senior players involved in the midweek SPFL Trust Trophy clash with East Stirlingshire. More minutes will be needed for full match sharpness.

Kettlewell added: “No injuries. That was Paul’s first 60 minutes over pre-season. Marvin was desperately needing game time as he is two weeks behind the group and Tom Sparrow was the other one that had missed a couple of weeks. There were one or two others I would have put in but the age restriction, we were targeting ones we felt could get 60 minutes or so. We still need more in the tank for the likes of Paul, Tom and Marvin to get them right up to full speed.”