Motherwell appoint Danish boss with previous British football experience as Michael Wimmer's successor
The Steelmen have named former Copenhagen and Sparta Prague assistant as club’s permanent manager
Motherwell have appointed former FC Copenhagen and Sparta Prague assistant Jens Berthel Askou as their new permanent manager.
The 42-year-old Danish boss will formally begin his duties in North Lanarkshire next week, subject to the approval of a work permit.
Askou - who boasts previous experience of British football after a two-year spell with Norwich City between 2009 and 2011 during his playing days - replaces Michael Wimmer in the Fir Park hot seat.
Askou has most recently served as No.2 at Superliga giants Copenhagen after a spell in the Czech Republic. His coaching career began in his homeland with second-tier club Vendsyssel before filling a player-assistant manager role at both Skive and Thisted.
He would later return to Vensysell, this time as manager and managed to earn promotion to the Danish top-flight. Askou then relocated to the Faroe Islands in 2019 to take charge of HB Torshavn. He returned to Denmark with AC Horsens before moving to Swedish outfit IFK Goteborg.
Speaking to Motherwell’s official website, Askou said: “This is a really proud moment for me. It’s a huge honour to be selected to become the manager of Motherwell Football Club. Having spoken extensively with members of the Club Board, it was clear from the outset that our ideas, ambitions and morals align.
“We are all ambitious people, and we’re all hungry for success. I can’t wait to arrive in Scotland and begin planning for the season ahead. There is a lot of work to be done, but it’s highly exciting.”
Chairman Kyrk MacMillan added: “This has been a more rigorous process to recruit our new manager due to the incredible number of applications for the role.
“We had a high number of impressive applicants, but we were really drawn to Jens. His track record of working with big clubs, delivering success and developing young players matches up with all our philosophies here at Motherwell Football Club.
“He has handed 26 teenagers debuts in five-and-a-half seasons, which I think is evidence of Jense implementing his ideas and morals. The data and numbers impressed us, but more importantly, after speaking with Jens a number of times, he is a really ambitious character and a leader who was extremely keen to get the role here at our club.
“We expect the UK work permit to be received in the coming days, and then he can commence his work on Day 1 of pre-season.”