McGhee wants Well’s Euro race to end on a high
Published:
MARK McGhee has encouraged his players to show courage in their bid for a Uefa Cup place.
A victory over Aberdeen at Fir Park today would secure third place in the SPL if Hibernian and Dundee United lose against Celtic and Rangers respectively.
Well have finished in the top three just twice since 1934 and McGhee knows they are on the verge of a memorable achievement.
The former Aberdeen, Celtic and Scotland striker knows all about pressure situations from his illustrious playing days.
He said: “I think you have got to have the bottle to go and try to win them. If you go in with fear you sometimes cannot perform to your total capabilities.
“You have got to go in and not have fear of losing. I think that’s really important – we have got to go from the first minute to try to win the game.”
McGhee has led Reading, Brighton and Millwall to promotions and taken Wolves to an FA Cup semi-final.
He admits helping Motherwell into Europe would equal any success he and his players have enjoyed, especially following the death of skipper Phil O’Donnell and problems with the Fir Park pitch.
McGhee said: “As everyone knows, it’s been a dramatic season in all sorts of ways, which makes it all the more poignant if we were to get some sort of success out of it.
“It would rank with anything we have done, particularly given the obstacles that have been put in our way.
“The players are here because they have the ability, they are good enough to be third. That is not some sort of miracle or fluke.
“The fact they would have achieved it despite the obstacles is something extra.”
Despite coming close to missing out on a top-six place, opponents Aberdeen have climbed back into contention for a European place after collecting 16 points from a possible 21 to move within a victory of Well.
McGhee said: “They are genuine contenders now and we have got to take them seriously.
“If we don’t get beat they can’t get above us, so we have still got a big advantage. They have done well to get back. Now it’s our job to extinguish that glimmer of hope in the first 10 minutes of the game.”
