SEEING IS BELIEVING

Berthel Askou: I told the board we'd make mistakes and there'd be a few bumps along the way but if they put their trust in me and the players then we would be successful over time

- BY FRASER WILSON

A YOUNG manager taking the plunge back in June into his first managerial job in Scottish football.

A former defender making a splash with a bold philosophy for possession-based football.

A launch period that sees his side floating around mid-table after landing eight points from seven league games including a win, five draws and a defeat as well as progress into the Premier Sports Cup semifinal.

It’s hard not to see the parallels in Jens Berthel Askou's first four months as Motherwell boss with that of his old Norwich City teammate Russell Martin.

Indeed the big Dane revealed he has even been for a dip in Loch Lomond - just like the Englishman.

Their records in terms of results across 17 weeks in the choppy waters of the league have been identical. Yet while Askou has been praised to the hilt for the brand of football on show at Fir Park, sacked Martin sank quicker than any previous Rangers boss in history.

Askou isn't daft. The Steelmen boss knows the big difference is exactly that — the BIG difference between the clubs.

Motherwell’s stats are exactly the same as Rangers.

But there's no danger they would be ridiculed for losing to Hearts or drawing away to Falkirk or St Mirren.

Well are flying. Crowds are up and the punters are loving the brand of football even if it comes with the type of risk that cost them a massive result at Celtic Park last weekend.

But that's exactly the reason Askou believes what he is doing is right. He insists the Well environment - from the board, through the stands and into the dressing room - is the perfect place for a footballing journey he knows will come with more than its fair share of bumps.