We're no one-season wonders

Jul 20 2008 By Scott Mcdermott

MOTHERWELL boss Mark McGhee is hell-bent on making sure the Steelmen don't suffer "second-season syndrome" but fears they simply can't give him as much as they did last term.

The Fir Park gaffer made an instant impact when he arrived a year ago.

Taking Well from second bottom of the SPL to third-top and UEFA Cup football was nothing short of remarkable.

But McGhee knows the hard work is just beginning. Various bosses have been accused of being "one-season wonders" - able to galvanise a club immediately before form dips.

Mark is determined that won't happen at Well and said: "The second season will be far more difficult than the first - that's why if we finish third again it would be a bigger achievement than last year.

"There will be a weight of expectation on us this time round and other teams will know how we're going to play and will want to stop us.

"The teams where expectations are highest are the most difficult to play for because every other side invariably has their best game against you.

"We do it. When we face the Old Firm there's an edge to us that isn't always there. I suspect some lads will find it hard to try as hard as they did last season.

"They bust a gut for me to achieve what they did, they were flat out. Whether they can do that again I don't know but it's my job to try to get that out of them.

"My performance here isn't going to be about one season. I want people to talk about me in the same manner as they did last term."

McGhee arrived at Fir Park on his own last summer with assistant Scott Leitch already put in place by owner John Boyle.

That may have been unusual for most bosses but not for McGhee who revealed he prefers to inherit staff at a new club rather than getting rid of them for no reason. He said: "I have learned I don't need to do it. Many managers take people with them because they don't trust strangers - they've got a fear they'll be stabbed in the back but that's rubbish, I don't think like that.

"Leitchy has been great for me here and we make a good team."

McGhee has lost only one player - Ross McCormack to Cardiff - from the squad.

Mark said: "It has been crucial keeping the best players here. I was in a strong position because of what we achieved and people were touting me for other jobs.

"That's why I was able to say to John Boyle 'part of the deal with me staying is that we keep the best players'.

"There's no way we could have let McCormack, Stephen Hughes, Chris Porter and Mark Reynolds go and expect to finish third in the league.

"I was lucky to be in a position to demand that of the owner.

"Not many provincial clubs can turn down £1million bids for their players. But the flip side is I believe Reynolds can become a £4m player in a few years."