Stuart Kettlewell has been told he will remain in caretaker charge of Motherwell for Sunday’s cinch Premiership clash with Hearts.
Motherwell are understood to have conducted interviews with Grant McCann and Ian Holloway over their managerial vacancy while Jack Ross appears to have stepped back from the process.
But it looks like it will be next week before any announcement is made on a replacement for Steven Hammell.
Kettlewell said: “It’s been made very clear, I have had a conversation with the board, they have asked me to take the team again on Sunday.
“That makes it really clear for the players and everyone surrounding the football club.
“That wee bit of certainty is there and we know what we are going to do for the next couple of days.
“What happens after that, I’ll be brutally honest, I don’t know and there hasn’t been an official decision made on that.
“But that’s fine for me, it gives me an opportunity to go through the next couple of days and understand what information needs to be put across and the demands that need to be returned from the players.
“Players are a creature of habit, they like to know what they are coming into each day. I don’t think you will find any player who wants to be walking in with uncertainty about who is going to be in charge.
“It’s important there is a level of continuity but it’s a very, very short-term level of continuity right now.”
Kettlewell could find himself in the frame to keep taking the team if he delivers another result against Hearts after leading Motherwell to their first league win in 12 matches on Wednesday against St Mirren.
But on his own situation, the former Ross County manager said: “There have been no interviews. From my situation I have been pretty busy preparing the team.
“I am not expecting anything moving forward. My focus has to be on making sure we acquit ourselves right on Sunday.”
Kettlewell arrived at Fir Park in October as lead development coach, charged with taking the reserve and under-18 teams.
The 38-year-old felt he was misrepresented earlier in the week after being asked about his interest in taking charge of the first team on a longer-term basis.
“I need to make this abundantly clear: if the football club felt I could help them and make something better or get results then I would be more than happy to have a conversation,” he said.
“That’s what it is, I mean a conversation. And it would just be a layer or two on to what I have already had in terms of trying to prepare a team.
“There are no guarantees that would filter out of that, I wouldn’t be looking for any guarantees.
“The most important thing for me – and I am not trying to portray myself as the biggest clubman ever – but I want the best for the football club and the staff.”
