His times at Aberdeen, Bristol Rovers and Scotland have hardly been raging successes but at a time when our focus is to finish above the play-off place he should be able to deliver.
The club and Les Hutchison are content with McGhee continuing with his Scotland role. It is reported that his contract will run till the send of season 2016/17.
Few managers are given the opportunity of a second period in charge and in Motherwell’s 130 year history he is the first. His two seasons from June 2007 until June 2009 had contrasting fortunes. The first, when he inspired the squad that had suffered under the Malpas era, finished third in the league and earned our first competitive trip in Europe for 13 years. The second had us struggling and unsettled as the manager flirted with Hearts before leaving for Aberdeen. He led us through the dark time when we lost Phil O’Donnell and his sensitive guidance earned huge respect.
Any managerial appointment is a gamble and any rush to judgement would be premature. Football fans value those who share their emotional attachment and there are many in the Fir Park stands who remain unimpressed by McGhee’s former eagerness to move to ‘a bigger club’. There are also many who remember the fast, free flowing football that thrilled us in the early months of his first spell and they hope that an experienced manager may steady our shaky ship.
The new man will face a tough first fortnight as Celtic visit for the lunchtime game this Saturday before we head to Aberdeen the following week.