Mark McGhee meets the Fans

To begin with Mark was asked about his signings since his arrival at Fir Park. He explained that he arrived too late to have a wide choice over the summer window and that most of the players who were looking for moves were already fixed up. He said that he would have liked another three in addition to Hughes and Porter but that he was looking for quality not quantity and that he has "held some back" for future signings. He mentioned Scandinavia as a possible source for new players.

What about playing style and motivation? The two were quite different. Joining at the start of the season was ideal for motivation. When he looked at the squad he felt there was need for "reconditioning". He set about it in a "robust" way. It was fairly easy for a new manager to get his way but the players responded well. Ten of them trained from eigth to nine in the gym before taking part in two or three sessions during the day followed by another hour's fat burning in the gym.

The style issue depended to a large extent on they type of players he found already at the club. To his delight he found he had football players - therefore there was no choice but to play football. He tried to play to their strengths. He felt that the four front players had to be in the team and as a result we have an attacking formation.

Does practice make perfect? His forte was that always played in attacking teams so it is natural that he tries to pass that on. "I don't just work with the forwards!"

It was pointed out that the recent Scotland results were due in no small part to the contributions of former Motherwell players. He was asked if we were likely to produce more. None of the current team are ready for a place in the national team at the moment. But Reynolds with his strength and pace and McCormack and Clarkson, if they work heard and get the breaks, are possible candidates. Below them he mentioned Jamie Murphy, a terrific player, and Archdeacon ("I played with his dad!").

The manager noted that Chris McCart and his team do a great job. They keep finding players. He is pleased that the club is separating out the youth development budget to give Chris some autonomy.

What about the new keeper we have on trial? "No idea!". Colin meldrum reports that he seems to be ok. We want to see him play and he seems keen to come to Scotland.

Why no loan players from hamburg or Wolfsburg? Mark explained that the players and their agents wouldn't have it. The cultural change needed was a lot to ask young players.

What surprised you when you arrived at Motherwell? He approached this question I a roundabout way. Had he arrived to find no players who were comfortable with their back to goal (tales of Steve Bull) then a different style of play might have been needed - over the top. He was surprised at the quality of player already here. He found players who were comfortable on the ball.

He spent some time explaining the problems a manager could have with players who were not picked. He reckoned that he has only eleven or twelve outfirld players in competition for regular starting positions so the issue doesn't arise at Fir Park. The position was quite different in teams where very highly paid superstars were dropped.

In some cases it would work to the team's advantage. Porter was not played for the first few games and he felt that Clarkson's game improved.

Asked about the most satisfying performance he picked out the first half against Rangers. The fact that it followed the great show at Easter Road gave confirmation that the team were making real progress. He was than asked to explain the Falkirk display and the answer was that we were a bit unlucky, failed to score and so didn't win. He was pleased the there was not a great difference between our best and worst performances to date.

He was asked about the possibility of finding a big centre half at the next transfer window. He made it clear that neither Kinniburgh nor Mclean were threatening the places of Craigan and Reynolds. As for central defenders, "the bigger the better and if they can run, even better" He pointed out that we don't lose many goals from open play and that the goals conceded would hardly be noticed if we were to convert more of our chances.

As for taking chances he made it clear that he expects Clarkson to find the net more often. He also expressed concern at certain aspects of our finishing. "We seem to want to steer it and get through wee gaps". He wants simply to hit it by the keeper and Faddy's example against the Ukraine was a good example to our strikers.

He attended a manager's conference last weekend. Ferguson, Houlier and Roxburgh were on the panel and he found the experience confrimed that much of our current practice was correct. He enjoyed the informal chats with managerial colleagues. He spent some time praising the help that Ferguson had given to many of his old Aberdeen team and obviously holds him in high esteem.

Did he find it hard to accept that Scott Leitch was already in place as his assistant? No. Both at Millwall and at Brighton he had retained the existing back room staff and he was happy to give those at Fir Park every opportunity. They have families, children and mortgages; it would be wrong to move folk out wholesale.

The hardest part of being a manager is coping with defeat. Fans sometimes question if it means as much to players and managers - yes it does.

Mark was thanked for providing over an hour's fascinating insight into the management of the team and roundly applauded for his contribution to the evening.