THE WEEKEND PREVIEW: Wimmer targets winning start with Motherwell as new boss makes Premiership bow

They certainly took their time over it — three weeks to be precise — but the Motherwell board have finally got their man.

All the noise coming out of the club following the arrival of Michael Wimmer earlier this week has been, as you’d expect, overwhelmingly optimistic.

And with good reason, too. The German may be something of an unknown quantity in these parts, but based on what little we do know, he should be an intriguing addition to the Scottish top flight.

Granted, a glance at his record of 16 league wins from 47 at Austria Vienna hardly gets the pulses racing. He was ultimately relieved of his duties, after all.

But it’s his footballing philosophy which has got Motherwell fans excited — for the first time in quite a while — about the future.

Wimmer wants aggression. Ambition. Attacking. A take-the-game-to-the-opposition approach which the Fir Park support have long been crying out for.

The former Austria Vienna boss will make his Premiership debut against Dundee United today

In short, attributes apparently absent under the leadership of former boss Stuart Kettlewell. 

Sure, style may have been sacrificed, but his substance, for the most part, was there.

Kettlewell’s departure was an ugly one — forced out by over-the-top criticism from the stands. 

Stuart Kettlewell resigned from his position last month after receiving abuse from some fans

No manager should have to endure that, and his decision to take a stand is admirable.

Unless Wimmer oversees some sort of catastrophic run from the outset, he’ll be afforded plenty of leeway from the majority of fans to just lay the foundations this season.

The problem is this. Based on the way Motherwell have been playing recently, that will be easier said than done.

They are a side who appear utterly devoid of confidence. 

Strange really, considering it wasn’t too long ago that European qualification was a genuine target following an impressive start to the campaign.

But those thoughts must be parked for the time being. Now just four points above the relegation play-off spot, survival must be the main target.

That may well be glass-half-empty thinking but, like it or lump it, that’s the position they now find themselves in.

The good news for Wimmer is that there is undoubtedly plenty for him to work with. His reputation has been built on maximising the potential of young players and, with the quality of Lennon Miller and Ewan Wilson at his disposal, the raw materials are there.

Wimmer is looking forward to working with talented youngsters such as Lennon Miller

Throw in the likes of Tom Sparrow and Tawanda Maswanishe, and there’s no shortage of exciting talent for Wimmer to build his team around.

For now though, his job is simply to stop the rot. The performances over this five-game losing run have been nothing short of a shambles, with last week’s 3-0 reverse at home to Ross County epitomising everything that has been going wrong of late. Toothless up top, a mess at the back, and with little to shout about in between.

The hard work starts this afternoon with a trip to Tannadice to face a Dundee United side who are also in something of a sticky patch after winning just one of their last seven.

Top scorer Sam Dalby has scored only once in that spell, while their previously much-heralded defence has been showing some vulnerability.

The visitors have also won both meetings between the sides this season and appear to have United’s number.

With home games to come against Dundee and St Mirren over the next few weeks, Wimmer has a real opportunity to steer his side clear of danger and get his time in Scotland off to a flying start.

Livi looking to keep Championship title dream alive

These days, there is an air of inevitability about the top end of the Premiership.

While there are all sorts of fascinating narratives to be found elsewhere in the league,  the title race has once again become a title procession.

Celtic supporters couldn’t give a hoot about that, and neither should they. But for everyone else? It’s all become a little predictable.

Jay Henderson (centre) got on the scoresheet for Ayr United in last week’s 2-2 draw at Falkirk

Livingston manager David Martindale is eyeing an immediate return to the top flight

Thank goodness for the Championship. Just shy of 7,500 were at the Falkirk Stadium last Saturday to see a proper ding-dong battle between the league’s top two.

Ayr United will be kicking themselves for failing to see out what would have been an excellent away win having been two goals to the good. But it was hard to argue the hosts didn’t deserve a share of the spoils.

About half an hour down the road, third-place Livingston had an opportunity to take advantage against strugglers Dunfermline. They couldn’t get the job done.

They will have a chance to make amends this afternoon as they travel to Ayr with the opportunity of leapfrogging Scott Brown’s men in the table.

For much of this season, Livi have gone under the radar. But with only a few months to go, they are right in the mix.

Sure, they may not be as pleasing on the eye as the two sides above them, but who cares? Not manager David Martindale anyway.

In all honesty, he worked wonders keeping Livi in the Premiership for as long as he did before things fell apart last season.

He could have understandably abandoned ship, but that’s not in his DNA. As he’s showing once again this season, he truly relishes the toughest challenges.