Baraclough's Vision

[EightSixteen]

Baraclough's vision for Motherwell in and out of football - Scott Mullen (09/07/15)

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/13379268.Baraclough_s_vision_for_Motherwell_in_and_out_of_football/?ref=wa

 

IAN BARACLOUGH is on a mission to make Motherwell a force for good off the park as well as on it.

 

The Steelmen manager has been at the heart of the new regime that first took control at Fir Park back in January.

 

He was interviewed for the managers post before Christmas by new majority shareholder Les Hutchison, who saw a young coach eager to play his part in making the football club grow into a pillar of the local community.

 

Baracloughs intentions could be seen as early as the day he was appointed boss when he took time out before watching his first game to speak toa group of young fans who were collecting food for charity.

 

It is an ethos which continues to grow at the Lanarkshire club aiming to be fully fan run within the next five years, and the first team boss is eager to be a part of an organisation seeking to offer education, opportunities and facilities to those around them.

 

Its a club that has to be there solely for the community, Baraclough told SportTimes.

 

We have to be accessible as players and staff to be able to walk about among the town and feel that we are playing our part to try and make Motherwell and the surrounding areas a real good place to be in.

 

Im more than happy to be part of something to help the town and the people of it. I know its not the most affluent town. There are a lot of people who work very hard day to day to put food on the table for their families. We are no different to that.

 

Looking at the history of the place with things like Ravenscraig steelworks closing down, it was certainly doom and gloom in the mid 80s. But people within the town have got on with it and we want to play our part in making Motherwell prosper.

 

We are trying to help them enjoy themselves. We want to give our fans a ray of sunshine at the weekend after a tough week.

 

For that to happen Baraclough knows Motherwell must both construct a team built for success on the pitch but one that is also capable of sustaining the club well into the future.

 

Being more effective in the transfer market in terms of selling on players is something Hutchison has been keen to hammer home, and already Well have sought to address that matter.

 

Since the owners arrival long term extensions have been handed out to wingers Marvin Johnson and Dom Thomas, while several others have also been tied down for over a season.

 

We are never going to be the biggest payers in this division or an organisation that can splash the cash and buy our way to success, admitted Baraclough.

 

We have to work at it with our young players and bring in fresh ones to develop them and sell them on, thats the model the owner has looked at and wants to achieve with. Im very happy with that.

 

The relationship between me and him has been fantastic since day one and we are putting some good markers down.

 

Meanwhile, the Fir Park manager declared himself pleased with Motherwells efforts in their first pre-season match as they played out a 1-1 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday night.

 

I was pleased because the first game in any pre-season is a precarious one, he said.

 

You wonder how the players are, you wonder what their fitness levels are compared to others, but most of them went on to have just 45 minutes which was what we were after with no injuries.

 

For me thats the main thing, but it was keenly-contested. Borussia are a good young side and are the next generation of Bundesliga players so we had to contend with a different way of playing.