Lennon Miller's rise from Motherwell towards Scotland debut as insider explains key factors in making it happen

Daily Record

2 days ago

The Fir Park starlet is in line to feature against Iceland and Leichtenstein having been selected again by Steve Clarke
Stuart Kettlewell says Lennon Miller's rise towards a Scotland debut is all down to the kid's class and character.
The Motherwell starlet is in line to feature against Iceland and Liechtenstein having been selected again by Steve Clarke.
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Miller was with the squad for the Nations League double-header against Greece in March but didn't get off the bench. He should now get a chance to shine in the summer friendlies.
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Former Fir Park boss Steven Hammell gave Miller a debut just six days after his 16th birthday but he pushed on during Kettewell's time at Well and was handed the armband.
Kettlewell, now boss of Kilmarnock, takes no plaudits for Miller's ascent though and insists the youngster's qualities on and off the park have made it happen.
Asked about nurturing the teenager, he said: 'I could take you years and years further back from that as well. I take no responsibility for Lennon's development.
'I've never made a football player before in my life but I think you facilitate it.
'You try to guide them and show the pathway that might be beneficial.
'You touch on Lennon, that one can be probably the easiest of them all when you're a top talent, you live your life right and do the right things.
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'So my job within it was I played him and I gave him games. But there's been plenty of others in the mix there as well that, if they follow your lead and take it seriously, you can help them if you're prepared to give them an opportunity.
'I came through at Queen's Park where young players were given an opportunity. I was a really young captain.
'Then once I got into coaching, I started working with the Under-20s at Ross County and got a lot of success there.
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'That has always been a part of my pathway and my thought process is to try to give those opportunities.
'Sometimes you sign a rough diamond and you feel that you give them a facility because I always speak about just being a facilitator.'
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Kettlewell's track record in handing youth a chance was a key factor in his appointment at Rugby Park.
After leaving Well at the beginning of the year, he could have gone to Carlisle before Mark Hughes took the post.
There were other opportunities too but they didn't hold the appeal of Kilmarnock.
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Kettlewell said: 'That [Carlisle] was an opportunity that came up very quickly for me.
'There's been two or three options, nothing against the clubs, nothing against the opportunities.
'Sometimes you need to go on your gut feeling as to whether you think it's the right thing.
'It's not just about working in football for me, it's trying to work in the right job. I want to see the fruits of my labour and to see people prosper from within that.'