Stuart Kettlewell has thrown his hat into the ring to become the next permanent manager of Motherwell.
The Steelmen are on the hunt for a new boss after they sacked Steven Hammell following their shock Scottish Cup defeat to Raith Rovers at the weekend.
Hammell won three of his first four matches in charge and a 5-0 victory over Ross County on October 4 showcased the attacking football he was implementing.
However, his project was undermined by the team’s struggle to get over the line in tight games – they drew five times and lost 10 games by one-goal margins – and an ever-increasing anxiety around home matches.
Motherwell have not recorded three points at Fir Park since August 20 and threw away a two-goal lead against 10-man Kilmarnock before letting another lead slip against Ross County in two recent games against relegation rivals. A failure to win in the league since October 29 leaves them in 11th, level on points with bottom club Dundee United.
Kettlewell has now been placed in interim charge and today he revealed that he would consider taking the job on a full-time basis.
Asked if it had crossed his mind, he responded: "Again, one that I kind of laugh at, not to dismiss your question.
"I laugh at it in the sense that I've heard all kinds of answers in this situation, people trying to bat it away. I will give you a brutally honest answer.
"If the football club thought I was the right fit for this job and I was the right guy for this job then I would certainly take it into consideration.
"See if they don't, I have a role here. I came in with a job of developing young players, so that was the job I came in to take, fully focused on and fully intent to try and do for a period of time and get success.
"I'm not trying to be arrogant in any way, I'd like to think that my CV shows that the development side has been a big part of my makeup as a coach and as a manager - even at first-team level.
"I felt I was pretty successful at developing players and with that came a degree of success.
"But if the board and the chairman don't feel that I was the right fit for it, they want to look at someone else then that's fine.
"I'm not pitching myself forward for this job, I'm not about being a salesman and trying to audition for anything.
"They'll know me as a guy and how I work, if that's something that connects with the board...because you have to be specific with this as well, let's not forget it's not just a generic come in and just throw somebody in and do a job.
"It has to be what the club want for their culture and how they want to try and move the football club forward.
"If I fit with that it might be something I would consider, if it doesn't then there is no ill-feeling in any way, shape or form."
On his discussions with the board, Kettlewell added: "I've spoken to the chairman and spoken to members of the board - that's the guys who have asked me to do this job.
"I understand that people will be asking questions because we all know there is an imminent change in the background of the football club and the structure of the football club.
"That has come as a football club decision. It might come across as the diplomatic answer but it's the honest answer - that's how it has come about."
