Latest news with #Askou
The National
15 hours ago
- Sport
- The National
Motherwell boss denies Lennon Miller transfer rumour
The Fir Park midfielder is a man in demand this summer with a host of top clubs circling and his club resigned to losing him, but holding out for a record-breaking fee. The 18-year-old is believed to prefer a move abroad despite interest from Celtic, Rangers and in England. There had been a suggestion he was out in Italy for discussions with a club out there. However, Askou insists that is not the case and Miller remains with his squad even though he has not featured in any Premier Sports Cup matches. Read more: He said: "There's nothing new on Lennon. He wasn't able to be here tonight but we will hopefully see him tomorrow. "There are a lot of rumours about Lennon Miller, and I've heard a lot of funny stories and rumours, but the thing is he's still a Motherwell player and we're very happy to have him here. "When there's something concrete to comment on, we will.
The Herald Scotland
15 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Motherwell boss denies Lennon Miller transfer rumour
The 18-year-old is believed to prefer a move abroad despite interest from Celtic, Rangers and in England. There had been a suggestion he was out in Italy for discussions with a club out there. However, Askou insists that is not the case and Miller remains with his squad even though he has not featured in any Premier Sports Cup matches. Read more: He said: "There's nothing new on Lennon. He wasn't able to be here tonight but we will hopefully see him tomorrow. "There are a lot of rumours about Lennon Miller, and I've heard a lot of funny stories and rumours, but the thing is he's still a Motherwell player and we're very happy to have him here. "When there's something concrete to comment on, we will.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Motherwell boss: 'Our cup fate was always in our own hands, despite sticky start'
Motherwell can win Group D with a win over Morton at home on Tuesday Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou insists their Premier Sports Cup fate was always in their own hands as they head into a final game showdown against Morton on Tuesday. The Steelmen nearly came a cropper in their opener at Clyde, drawing 2-2 before winning on penalties, but squeezed past Stenhousemuir at Ochilview this afternoon, having bagged a similarly narrow win over Peterhead in midweek. Stephen O'Donnell's 41st-minute strike was enough to separate the sides in Larbert, leaving Motherwell on eight points as they prepare to host Dougie Imrie's Championship side. Askou said: 'I think our destiny has been in our own hands the whole time, I haven't really felt it slip out of our hands, even though it was a rough start. 'But we have that firm grip around it and not let go, because nothing is done yet, and now we can look forward to a good game on Tuesday.' Askou felt there was an improvement in his side, creating more chances, with Tawanda Maswanhise's header well saved by Darren Jamieson, and Callum Slattery had a terrific free kick brilliantly punched over by the Stenny keeper – even if referee Lloyd Wilson disagreed, awarding a goal-kick. But Motherwell took the lead in 41 minutes when Slattery's corner from the right was side-footed in by O'Donnell at the back post. The visitors should have doubled their lead in 64 minutes when Slattery's cross was met with a back-post volley by sub Eseosa Sule, but Jamieson instinctively blocked. Andy Halliday's corner was then headed off the line by defender Michael Anderson in 71 minutes. And the Steelmen were nearly made to pay for that when defender Gregor Buchanan missed a shot from six yards that would have levelled the game in the 90th minute. Askou said: 'You need to be clinical when the chance is there, and I think we should have been even more productive and created more chances, a higher volume, and good situations. 'There were a few situations where we should have been more clinical, for sure. Their keeper had a few good saves, I'll give him that. 'Our performance in the first half was a good tempo, at times, good desperation to score and chase, and we were dangerous in set-pieces, but we dropped too much in the second half, when we felt maybe too comfortable. 'It's something to improve, and it's not easy – I don't expect us to just go out and bang five or six goals against teams who do well, sit well and defend with their heart and everything they've got. 'But I expect us to be more productive, in terms of volume of chances and the size of chances we produced. 'When we don't, it's extremely important that we don't give away anything, like we've done in the first couple of games, and that was spot-on today, except for their last chance, which is unacceptable.'
STV News
6 days ago
- Sport
- STV News
Berthel Askou wants Motherwell to exert more control against Stenhousemuir
Jens Berthel Askou is looking for Motherwell to exert more control when they travel to Stenhousemuir in the Premier Sport Cup on Saturday. The Steelmen drew 2-2 at Clyde in their group opener last weekend before winning the penalty shoot-out, and there was another test against part-timers Peterhead at Fir Park on Tuesday night when they fell behind eight minutes to a Jack Brown goal. Full-back Emmanuel Longelo, making his first start since signing from West Ham, levelled in the 29th minute and Austrian striker Lukas Fadinger scored a stoppage-time winner – his first goal for the Lanarkshire side since joining from SC Rheindorf Altach – but manager Askou is looking for more from his side this weekend. The Dane told the club's X account: 'Its's always a question of how high a tempo we can we play, but it's not just about speed. 'It's about control as well, because there were some moments where we actually tried to play a little bit too fast in terms of what we are capable of, and then we lost control of the ball or we gave it away too easily. 'A little bit too direct at times, which gives them the ball, they get throw-ins, goal-kicks, and then they could spend 30, 45 seconds every time, which was to their advantage. 'So sometimes it's also about just slowing it down a bit, but keep the ball moving and keep moving the ball from side to side, tiring them and then open up space to explode. 'So it's about finding that perfect balance and then being able to, when we raise the tempo, to do that at a higher and higher intensity and higher tempo.' Meanwhile, summer signing Jordan McGhee is set to spend six to eight weeks on the sidelines with a thigh problem sustained ahead of Motherwell's Scottish League Cup clash against Clyde. 'It's very unfortunate that we lose Jordan for this period of time,' Askou said. 'He's made a very good impression in my time here. 'He brings experience and versatility to the squad, so he will be missed. However, he is already on the road to recovery and we look forward to him getting back soon.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Motherwell 2, Peterhead 1: Well survive Blue Toon scare in Premier Sports Cup
Lukas Fadinger's last-gasp winner earned first victory for Steelmen Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou insists his side have come further than he expected in pre-season, as they saw off Peterhead with a last-minute winner last night. Lukas Fadinger headed home in added time to hand Askou his first win as Motherwell boss, after Emmanuel Longelo had cancelled out Jack Brown's shock opener. That handed Motherwell their first win in the Premier Sports Cup group stages, having drawn 2-2 at League Two Clyde on Saturday, with the Premiership side winning the shoot-out 5-4 to take the extra point. Askou said: 'It was an important three points. I think we did really well to live up to being favourites. We tried to take control of the game from the beginning and drove the tempo up as high as we could. 'I think the boys were excellent in terms of making it really difficult for Peterhead to get something from the game. 'Obviously there were a few mistakes in the first half that we are trying to get rid of, but I think that will come. We will make less and less of these mistakes and see more quality in our attacking game. 'We know these players will grow and improvement will come. 'We've come a lot further than I expected we would at the moment, in terms of composure, structure, bravery and quality. Some of the stuff in the early build-up has been really good and I am very confident it will get better and better.' Askou handed a debut to kid keeper Matty Connelly in place of Calum Ward, as one of six changes from the draw in Hamilton. Skipper Paul McGinn, Tom Sparrow, Longelo, Elijah Just and Eseosa Sule also came in for Kofi Balmer, Apostolos Stamatelopolous, Stephen O'Donnell, Andy Halliday and Tawanda Maswanhise. Teenage star Lennon Miller was once again missing amid heightened transfer rumours and Askou revealed: 'He has had a little thing that we are assessing day by day. Tonight was too early still.' The Well defence was caught napping on nine minutes as the Blue Toon took the lead. Brown left two defenders in his wake as he latched on to Cammy Smith's flick to race into the box and slot past Connelly. It could have been 2-0 10 minutes later when Peterhead cut open the Well defence again with neat play on the edge of the box, but Longelo cleared Peter Pawlett's effort. The former West Ham left-back was key at the other end too, smashing home Fadinger's cross to level. Connelly then gifted the visitors a big chance when he played a pass in between two defenders in his box. Max Berry pounced on the loose ball and slipped in Smith, but Connelly atoned with a strong block to turn his strike behind. Askou threw on Andy Halliday and Ewan Wilson for Longelo and Just at the break, quickly followed by Saturday's two-goal hero Maswanhise and Stamatelopoulos. The two strikers almost made an instant impact but Maswanhise's cross just evaded the head of Stamatelopoulos. Caleb Goldie's point-blank block denied Slattery as Well turned the screw. Stamatelopoulos should have done better with a header in 74 minutes and Fadinger had a volley cleared off the line as the pressure mounted. But Fadinger wasn't to be denied and with penalties looming, he headed the winner. Askou said: 'I think there is a big danger in just analysing the result and saying because we got the goal at the end, that means that we are believing in what we are doing. 'I think we could see a team that had very strong belief in each other throughout the game, no matter if we scored five goals or it had been 1-1.'
