Next Motherwell manager latest as Blackburn Rovers loanee endures 'nightmare' season with injury

Motherwell hope to have some clarity over their next manager early next week, according to Stephen Frail, as a Blackburn Rovers loanee’s injury woes are detailed.

The Fir Park side face Ross County in the Premiership on Saturday just over two weeks on from the resignation of Stuart Kettlewell as boss. Frail was the caretaker for a defeat to Celtic last time out and will be in the dugout again when Don Cowie’s side make the trip to ML1.

Speaking on the managerial situation, Frail says there’s been clarity over who takes this game but what comes next is still unknown. He said: “That's always been the case since the start of last week. The search is obviously still continuing for the new manager, but I've always been tasked with this game.

“Hopefully things will be more clearer sometime the start of next week, but all the preparations have been from myself and the rest of the staff to make sure we're ready for Ross County on Saturday.

“We've been able to say right from the start of the week this is how we're doing things, this is the way we'll be looking to prepare and organise and to make sure we're ready. I'm sure when the new manager does come in with his own ideas, his own thoughts on the game, it might be a rip-up of everything that we've done, which is fine, but the players know what's expected of them come Saturday.

“I can only say from what I've seen of the players since the announcement of Stuart and I being here, the players have been terrific. They have been first class in everything that they've done, everything that I've asked them to do. They've attacked it. Their attention in training, their detail in training, the way they've worked in training has been excellent. They wish they'd had a game last week. They obviously didn't, but the whole focus after the Celtic game was two weeks later for the Ross County game.”

There has been an injury boost in the form of Lennon Miller returning to full training but Jack Vale is back with parent club Blackburn Rovers loanee after Achilles surgery, having only played six times this campaign for Motherwell due to injury. There is hope, however, he returns to Fir Park before the end of the season.

Providing updates on left-back Steve Seddon and goalkeeper Aston Oxborough too, Frail said: “Jack's out for a period of time. It's been a bit of a nightmare for Jack personally. He really enjoyed being on loan and it's not really happened because of injury, but it'll be a period of time before we see Jack again.

“Aston's a bit further forward. Aston's back on the pitch in terms of doing feet work and stuff, but there’s been no handling yet. But he's progressing well. Steven’s another one who's working away closely with the physios and we're trying to get them all back to speed and ready for what will be a big push towards the end of the season.

“I think it's been evident how good Lennon has been and how good a player he is. But we don't want to heap too much pressure on him. He's still a young lad. He's coming back from an injury that's kept him out for several weeks. But we do miss his quality. I think that's plain to see, but we've still got other players in there who have the quality and he can hopefully come in and add to that.