Latest news with #JensBerthelAskou
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
I realised Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou would be a success after his incredible moment in game vs St Johnstone
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRYAN GUNN knew Motherwell 's new manager Jens Berthel Askou would be a success in British football when he watched him head a clearance SIXTY YARDS - in Scotland. Gunn was Norwich manager when Askou arrived on trial at the club in the summer of 2009. 3 Jens Berthel Askou is the new Motherwell manager Credit: Alamy 3 Bryan Gunn had the now manager on trial at Norwich Credit: PA The Canaries happened to be on a pre-season tour of Scotland — where they would play games against Raith Rovers, St Johnstone and Airdrie. Askou scored in the win over Airdrie — but it was an incident in the closed-door victory over Saints that Gunn remembers. He said: 'We'd just got relegated from the Championship and we were offered Jens by his agent so we had him in for the games to have a look at him. 'In the game we played on the training pitch at St Andrews he attacked a clearance and his header must have gone 60 yards back the way it had come. 'That gave us an idea of what he was like. 'He was a central defender and he was tough, uncompromising, competitive and physical. 'I liked what I had seen from Jens and I sat down and had a couple of conversations with him. 'He was quite a steely character — he knew what he wanted. 'For us, he was an easy signing on a free transfer. 'The wages were affordable but I was away from Norwich before we really got the chance to work together. Stuart Kettlewell reveals if he regrets quitting Motherwell in exclusive first interview 'We lost our first game of the season 7-1 to Colchester but he didn't play in it because his work permit hadn't arrived. 'He played in a League Cup tie at Yeovil the following midweek, which we won comfortably, and we stayed down in the West Country because we were playing at Exeter on the Saturday. 'We drew 1-1 there and Jens scored our goal — but by then I was on a train back to Norwich because I'd been sacked on the Friday! 'Paul Lambert came in as the new manager and he brought a few of his own players in. 'Guys like Fraser Forster and Russell Martin joined the club around about that time. 'Jens played a few games but probably not as many as he would have liked to and after a couple of seasons he eventually went back to Denmark. 'Over the years we've kept in touch by text message. 'When I saw he'd started in coaching I'd send him good luck messages and I've probably got a WhatsApp trail for all his moves. 3 Jens Berthel Askou playing for Norwich Credit: Getty 'It's always nice when guys you've maybe helped along the way on their playing or coaching journey get decent jobs. 'It's good to see that he's gone on and worked at very good clubs since he stopped playing — like IFK Gothenburg, Sparta Prague and FC Copenhagen. 'And it's odd that he's ended up in the top division in Scotland as a coach when he started there as a player for Norwich. 'Maybe the fact he was willing to come to us on trial as a player tells you a bit about his character, his willingness to give things a go. 'I was well aware of what had happened with his predecessor at Motherwell and when I saw he'd got the job there on Thursday I sent him a message wishing him well at Fir Park. 'In the message I told him I knew Nick Daws, the Motherwell head of recruitment, and also goalkeeper Aston Oxborough. 'Aston might well have been in the academy at Norwich at the time so it could be that Jens will remember him. 'The agency I work for represents Jack Butland and I'm up in Scotland every now and then for games. 'If I'm at a Rangers versus Motherwell game next season I'll make a point of looking Jens up. 'It's a good career move for him and I wish him all the very best at Motherwell.' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Askou wants 'aggressive not passive' Motherwell
New Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou wants his players to be "aggressive".Former IFK Gothenburg boss Askou, 42, has replaced Michael Wimmer in the Fir Park dugout and his first games in charge will be in next month's League Cup first-round group will play Clyde, Peterhead, Stenhousemuir and Greenock Morton. Askou's first Scottish Premiership fixtures will be in early August."I'm here to make [the players'] dreams come true," said the Dane."I have to push them every day and teach them that they can actually do more than they think they can do. I think that's my most important job." And he added: "Managing style-wise, I believe in being aggressive, I believe in attacking. We attack the opponent if we have the ball or if we don't have the ball."I don't like passive football. I believe in taking the initiative and I want my players to express themselves on the pitch, to show some joy, some passion and respect for the game."Askou cited "the passion about football from the supporters" from his spell as a player with Norwich City from 2009-11 as he prepared to return to the UK."The passion also from the players, I really thrived on that because I am also very passionate about football and winning," he explained."I really hope to experience that again as a manager and a coach. That's something I work on, being good enough to go there and see what I can do with a British team."
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Pleased to see we've thought outside the box' - Your views on new manager
We asked for your views on the appointment of Jens Berthel Askou as the new Motherwell what some of you said:Mark: Looking at his track record, it could have been much worse than what we got. A couple of promotions is also quite good as it shows he can perform well with lower budgets, as long as he doesn't need to get Motherwell promoted anytime. I'm quite optimistic about this. Welcome to the 'Well!John: Good to see Motherwell go with a young, fresh European coach rather than the normal names that get banded about. He has a decent background too. Good luck to It's pleasing to see that once again the club have thought outside the box in appointing a coach from overseas. Whether it's a success or not, time will tell but I'm excited. We can now move forward into the new I'm really disappointed, I felt that we had the opportunity to go back to what has brought success to the club, appointing experienced Scottish managers. Even more so when Craig Levein and Mark McGhee are so Good to see Motherwell trying something different. Hopefully see him trying to play passing football and maybe bring in a few Scandinavians that Motherwell can develop and sell Was very excited about moving forward with Michael Wimmer, and I am happy and impressed that 'Well have gone a similar route with another continental appointment. He seems to have impressed the board with his ambitions and youth policy. Hopefully this new appointment will last longer than Wimmer's four months! Good luck to our new manager.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jens Berthel Askou named Motherwell manager as ex Copenhagen No. 2 wins battle for Fir Park job
Motherwell have appointed Jens Berthel Askou as their new manager. The 42-year-old will officially start his work at Fir Park next week, replacing Michael Wimmer who quit the Premiership at the end of the season. Advertisement Askou - who played in Britain during his career with Norwich City and Millwall - has most recently been assistant manager of FC Copenhagen. READ MORE: The million Celtic wingers linked with a transfer to the champions rated and slated READ MORE: Hearts and Aberdeen braced for transfer tussle as Premiership rivals eye Iraq winger His coaching career started at Danish second-tier club Vendsyssel before he served as a player-assistant manager at both Skive and Thisted. He later took on the role of manager at Vendsyssel, where he got the club promoted to the Danish top-flight, before relocating to the Faroe Islands in 2019 to manage HB Torshavn. Advertisement He 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 said: 'This has been a more rigorous process to recruit our new manager due to the incredible number of applications for the role. Advertisement '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 Jens 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.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Askou appointment ambitious & fresh thinking' - Well Society's Watson
Well Society director Derek Watson thinks Jens Berthel Askou's "ambitious" appointment shows "fresh thinking" from "on the up" IFK Goteborg head coach Askou replaces Michael Wimmer at Fir Park having enjoyed promotion in Denmark and trophies in the Froe Islands."Many people in the media and football world - like during the previous vacancy - roll off similar names who have worked often worked in Scotland, but I think this shows fresh thinking," Watson told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland."It's out of the box, as it should be for Motherwell and for the UK's first top-flight fan-owned club."Askou has won promotion to the Danish top flight with both Vendsyssel and Horsens. In between those jobs he won a league and cup double in the Faroe Islands with HB Torshavn."It's an ambitious and exciting appointment," Watson added. "This is a manager who's had a taste of success and wants to go on to bigger and better things."The strategy that the executive board have had when they've been appointing managers reflects the significant reset that's been happening across the club across the last year."I think Motherwell have got a reputation of being a football club who develop young talent and move them, on so there is no reason it shouldn't be similar for managers. "We want young managers to come in, be ambitious and see Motherwell as a good platform to develop their career if they have success."With the new season fast approaching, Watson believes this move has put the Lanarkshire club "in a very good place"."Hopefully the manager brings in some fresh faces and some fresh ideas but I would like to hope that Motherwell are a club on the up. "I think we're in a very good place."
