Motherwell interim boss Stuart Kettlewell says his players have looked him in the eye and told him they're behind him.
The former Ross County gaffer has stepped up from his role of lead development coach in the wake of Steven Hammell’s sacking, and has called for unity within the squad.
Kettlewell, 38, is in charge at least for the game against St Mirren at Fir Park tomorrow night, and says he needs to have the full squad behind him
He says he's told them they won't play if they're not.
“It was a simple conversation of: this is how I intend to work for the next three days, this is what I’m going to do,” he said.
“You guys will feel, and rightly so, that you’ve let the previous manager down, but you need to own that, take responsibility for that.
“This is what I’m doing. You’re either coming with me or you’re not. If you’re not coming with me and you don’t want to respond to what I’m asking you, then tell me now and you won’t be a part of that here whilst I’m in charge.
“That’s fine, I’ll respect them for their honesty, and nobody has put their hand up or said that’s the situation – everybody wants to come forward and try to do the best for this football club.
“I take that as gospel now. You’ve looked me in the eye. We’ve looked into the whites of the eye and said to each and every one of them that that’s how the situation is going to be.
“So when it comes to the game, I accept mistakes, because we deal wth human beings, we’re not dealing with robots here, but I want honest mistakes and I want to see a reaction when we do make that mistake in the game.
“I want to see a personality if that mistake comes in the game, and that’s as simple as the break-down has been.”
Kettlewell added: “Even if it’s just for three days, that’s what we’re doing, we’re working towards St Mirren on Wednesday night, which is going to be a difficult game.
“For us to compete against St Mirren we’re going to have to have 11 to 18 or 20 players, including the guys on the bench. We’re going to have to have every single one of them unified.
“If you’re not able to do that, or I’m not able to achieve that in the short-term, then it will be exceptionally difficult to compete with St Mirren.
“Their work ethic, their organisation, their togetherness, for me is what has got them into the position they’re in just now.”
Kettlewell says he will approach tomorrow’s Premiership clash in the same way as he did as a player and a manager, and says there’s no hiding place if it doesn’t go well.
He said: “I will always want to fall on my own sword. Whatever I asked them to do on Wednesday is my choice, it’s my decision, it’s what I want to do.
“I only ask them to follow it, and if that doesn’t work on Wednesday night I’ll take responsibility for it.
“I’m not looking for anybody else to shield me from the blame, or whatever, because that’s how I’ve always worked.
“That’s what I was as a player; I was the first guy to hold my hands when I made a mistake, and I also think I’ve done that previously as a manager.
“It leaves you open to be shot at, but I’m absolutely fine with that, that’s not a problem.”
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