Latest news with #MichaelWimmer
Daily Record
12 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
New Motherwell boss can get a good look at us in packed pre-season, says star
Stephen O'Donnell reckons their programme is a good one Stephen O'Donnell hopes a packed pre-season schedule can give Motherwell's next manager a good idea of what he has to work with next season. The Fir Park club are yet to appoint a successor to Michael Wimmer, who unexpectedly returned to Germany for personal reasons. But Motherwell return for training on Wednesday, June 18, and they're booked in to return to Delden in the Netherlands for their pre-season camp seven days later. The Premier Sports Cup group stages kick off on July 12, with games at Clyde on the opening day, and at Stenhousemuir on July 19, with midweek home matches against Peterhead (July 15) and Morton (July 22). Motherwell last week announced they will round off their summer preparations with a friendly at home to German giants Hertha Berlin on Friday, July 25. O'Donnell reckons that's plenty to get stuck into, and can't wait. He said: 'I just saw the schedule the other day and I think [the Hertha Berlin friendly] is on the Friday after the last Tuesday game [in the Premier Sports Cup], so lots of games for a new manager to get to see his players and see what suits best. 'Hertha Berlin, I don't think you'll get much bigger challenges than that, so that will be a good one. 'More importantly there are cup games, and certainly if we get off to a flier and do well in that, it's a nice end to the pre-season, and hopefully it's off the back of a successful campaign. 'It's always a tough one for managers, when you're the Premiership team, and the others are right up for it, while you're trying to tweak things and adjust, so it becomes a strange position. 'It's good to get the games, you need the games anyway, and we approach them pretty seriously, so we should be in a good position, again. 'I would have been really keen to see how we did under the old manager, because he had started implementing his things, and hopefully bringing in one or two of his own players, but now that's not the case. 'The new manager has these games to get to know his players, in a system that suits him and the players, so it will be exciting. 'Hopefully we can be successful. We have a draw that has been kind to us, there are no big, long journeys. 'We can't complain, hopefully they're good games, good performances, and something to build on for the new season.' Fans won't have to wait long to learn the club's Premiership fixtures, with the schedule for that released on Friday, June 20.
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Well to face Carlisle in behind-closed-doors friendly
Motherwell's pre-season schedule will include a behind-closed-doors friendly against Carlisle match will take place on 8 July, with the Fir Park side's competitive action kicking off four days later when they travel to Clyde for their League Cup group will play non-league football next term following relegation from England's League are yet to appoint a manager following the surprising departure of Michael Wimmer, who left to join German third-tier club Jahn Regensburg almost two weeks ago.
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Is Neilson a 'safe as houses' option for Well?
Would a move for Robbie Neilson be a safe but sensible decision from Motherwell?The Fir Park side are still on the search for a new manager following the shock exit of Michael Wimmer, who left for family reasons and joined German third-tier side Jahn Regensburg almost a fortnight Hearts and Dundee United boss Neilson, who departed Tampa Bay Rowdies earlier this year, has said the vacant job at Motherwell would interest 44-year-old got Hearts promoted twice and led them to two third-placed top-flight finishes across two spells, as well as making two Scottish Cup finals. He also guided United to promotion in record is why former Premiership striker Rory Loy feels Neilson would be a risk-averse appointment as Motherwell, who are looking for a fourth manager in three years, search for some much-needed stability."You look at Hearts, appointing Derek McInnes is probably as safe as houses in terms of the risk involved," Loy told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast. "I think Neilson is pretty similar for Motherwell. I don't like the cliches of 'he knows the league' and 'he knows the players', but it is relevant to an extent. And one thing he has had is success. "Whether Hearts fans enjoyed how he played or his personality or how he came across, he had a level of success where they were consistently finishing in good positions in the league. "The difference is, and it's quite rare, Wimmer wasn't actually sacked. Motherwell maybe like what they did and could see where it was going, so they might not be too concerned about going a bit more leftfield again."
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
McGhee joins Well following Dundee exit
Motherwell have confirmed the signing of Jordan McGhee on a two-year deal, with the club holding the option of a further year, following his Dundee Scotland reported that the versatile 28-year-old had penned a pre-contract agreement with the Lanarkshire side in Kettlewell was Well's manager at that point, but he has since left. Kettlewell's replacement, Michael Wimmer, is also no longer at the Fir Park side are yet to appoint a new first-team boss, but their summer player recruitment continues as McGhee's arrival follows the signing of Austrian midfielder Lukas departure from Dundee brings to an end a six-year stay at Dens Park. The former Hearts and Falkirk player made 197 appearances for the club, scoring 21 goals and gaining top-flight promotion twice.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
What now for Well as Fir Park soap opera hits season four?
This time last year Motherwell's board, fan ownership group and support were braced for a toxic summer amid a potential takeover from a former Netflix attempted bid collapsed spectacularly when proposed American buyer Erik Barmack withdrew his offer because he felt there were "significant divisions within the fanbase".In the 12 months since, the club hierarchy has been ripped up and refreshed, one manager has departed after citing fan abuse, and another has left for family summers ago, Graham Alexander was sacked on the eve of the 2022-23 Scottish Premiership season after his team were chased out of Conference League qualifying by Sligo legend Steven Hammell picked up the pieces, but he was gone by the following February after a humiliating Scottish Cup defeat at second-tier Raith the search for a fourth manager in three years under way, supporters of the Fir Park side will have to wait a little longer for the extended period of normality they last week, fans were optimistic about the summer. There were signs manager Michael Wimmer was starting to flex his coaching wins from five post-split games contributed to an overall record of five victories, three draws and four defeats across 12 matches under the former Austria Vienna the pitch, Wimmer spoke of immersing himself in the local culture. A picture of him celebrating in a Lanarkshire pub circulated after an excellent result and performance in a 2-1 win at Rangers in March. All was looking last Friday, news emerged the German had returned home and was not coming back. "This decision was an extremely hard one," he fans joked the 44-year-old's frequent LinkedIn activity, and the regular self-promotion of his profile, suggested he was looking for a way this was real. An "urgent" family matter meant Wimmer wanted to be closer to home, joining third-tier German club Jahn Regensburg.A "shock to everybody" was how chairman Kyrk Macmillan described it, but the club will now need to move on with the players not due arrive back for pre-season for another month, Motherwell will not rush or panic in their hunt to find Wimmer's board will follow the same process that led them to the German, using data and metrics to judge how candidates align with the club's values, such as youth Motherwell land on a manager with a similar CV, they will be doing well. But it is worth remembering there are coaches closer to home now Docherty is without a club after being sacked by Dundee, plus Shaun Maloney is also unattached following his Wigan Robbie Neilson's record at both Hearts and Dundee United surely makes him the standout among the realistic Scottish 44-year-old, who left Tampa Bay Rowdies earlier this year, has said the vacant jobs at Motherwell and Dundee would interest got Hearts promoted twice and led them to two third-placed top-flight finishes across two spells, as well as making two Scottish Cup finals. He also guided United to promotion in assistant Ahmet Koc, who joined with Wimmer, will continue his role at Fir Park after talks with Regensburg. It is unknown whether or not he will put himself forward for the managerial it feels like the smart money is on another left-field move. No media outlet had any wind of Wimmer's arrival until just minutes before he was announced, and it will be no surprise if something similar is repeated.
