These are heady times for Motherwell and their fans. They streamed into the quaint town of Nancy in north-eastern France yesterday in their droves � arriving via buses, trains, taxis and stretch limousines.

These are heady times for Motherwell and their fans. They streamed into the quaint town of Nancy in north-eastern France yesterday in their droves - arriving via buses, trains, taxis and stretch limousines - scarcely believing that they were there to witness their team compete once more in the European arena, 13 years since they last did battle at this level.

That feeling of bewilderment and disorientation was heightened by the rare sight of the big orange ball in the sky after months of persistent drizzle at home and, more pertinently, by the indications given by Mark McGhee that he may for once yield to convention and abandon the cavalier brand of football that has become Motherwell's hallmark over the past year or so.

Few Scottish clubs outwith Rangers and Celtic have lasted long in European football in recent seasons - Aberdeen and Hearts are honourable exceptions - and McGhee, on the occasion of his managerial debut at this level, is clearly determined to do all he can to ensure Motherwell's stay in the competition stretches beyond tonight's first round UEFA Cup match against AS Nancy and the return at Fir Park in a fortnight's time.

"We have to temper our usual style a bit because it's a two-legged affair and away goals come into it," he said. "In normal league games we are quite prepared to lose, that's our attitude. The SPL allows that and we can go into every game trying to win it and not with any fear of losing.

"But this is the kind of game where I do think we have to have a little bit more fear of losing. Maybe we will have to think about certain aspects of our play and possibly temper it a bit. It will mean we won't allow our midfield and full-backs the same sort of abandon as we usually do. There will be a slightly different way of thinking.

"I think if we lose the game then you have to think it's going to be difficult for us, regardless of the margin. If we go there and don't get beaten then that will be the minimum result we hope for."

Motherwell head into tonight's tie in the Stade Marcel Picot on the back of a severe walloping by Celtic last weekend. McGhee, however, insisted no lasting damage had been inflicted on his players' confidence as a result.

"We lost games last season as well, so it's not the first time we've lost a football match badly. But the boys don't lose a beat. They put it behind them quite quickly because they know they are mortal, they know they are not infallible.

They can deal with it really well, that's why the mood is good at the moment.

"But I hope we have got a bit of fear. I don't think they thought they were as capable of defending as badly as that. Were Nancy to be as good as Celtic on the night then we will need to be a bit better than we were in that first half."

McGhee believes that defeat to Celtic may perversely work in Motherwell's favour as Nancy misjudge the size of the challenge. "I think there is a chance they could be underestimated, the way they are talking about us and the way people around them are talking about us. The people around them are talking about our style of play and, of course, the result on Saturday. All of those things could result in us catching them a bit by surprise."

In a roundabout manner, it was a theory confirmed by Pablo Correa, the Nancy head coach, who revealed his backroom team did not share his fear of what Motherwell are capable of.

"Myself, my assistant Paul Fischer and Laurent Moracchini the former Nancy player have all watched Motherwell and we cannot agree on the quality of this team," he said. "I am the one who fears Motherwell the most. I'm expecting a difficult match at home and an even tougher one in Scotland.

"The return match will be decisive so it is imperative we take an advantage for the second leg. We don't know much about Motherwell but we know about the Scottish spirit. We must be very vigilant until the final whistle."

Thomas Guidard, a football reporter and presenter with the Canal Plus television station in France, believes Nancy will progress despite their recent struggles in the league.

"Not many people in France know anything of Motherwell so the expectation is that Nancy will go through to the group stage," he told the Herald. "But they have not been playing well this season.

"They sold Sebastien Puygrenier to Zenit St Petersburg in the summer and the defence has been unsettled ever since. I watched them against Auxerre on Saturday and Correa played a 4-2-3-1 formation but I expect he will return to 4-4-2 against Motherwell.

"Correa has always said doing well in the league again is the priority this season so there is a chance he will rest some key players ahead of the match with Rennes this weekend."