MOTHERWELL great James McFadden believes the Fir Park club can improve upon their stunning season in the 2018/19 campaign - by finishing in the top six, securing a European spot or even winning a cup.
Stephen Robinson’s men made history this term by reaching both the Betfred Cup final in November and the William Hill Scottish Cup final this month. No other Motherwell team in the 132-year history of the North Lanarkshire club has ever managed that feat.
The Steelmen may have lost both of the games to their Glasgow rivals Celtic by 2-0 scorelines, but McFadden, the Scotland legend who spent three spells at the club before retiring this year, felt they acquitted themselves well in both games.
Read more: Motherwell top Premiership attendance table as fans flock to Fir Park
The 35-year-old believes they can take confidence from how well they have performed in the past 10 months and can top their achievements next season.
Robinson stressed after the final, which his team lost after conceding first-half goals to Callum McGregor and Olivier Ntcham, that 60 per cent of the money which Motherwell bank goes to former chairmen John Boyle and Les Hutchison.
The Northern Irishman will be unable to splash out extravagant sums on new players during the close season as a result despite the cash which the Ladbrokes Premiership club banked from their lucrative runs to consecutive cup finals.
But Scotland coach McFadden still sees a bright future ahead for them. “I think they can improve on what they have done,” he said. “If you didn’t think there was any reason then what would they do?
Read more: James Forrest: Celtic want the treble treble now
“They’ve shown they can mix it. Obviously on their day if Celtic turn up they are going to beat you, it doesn’t matter what you do. You can try to stop them if they are going to have an off day and you just hope they have that.
“In Motherwell’s situation they can improve, they can finish top-six and maybe clinch a European spot through the league. But they look like they are more suited to being a cup side because of the intensity they play.
“They only lost two cup games all season, two finals. So I think they can look to go one better and win a cup. Why not?
“They’ve made two finals, as long as they know what’s required to do it again and don’t think we’ve made two finals don’t worry we’ll win the next one. There has got to be a hunger there to succeed and I’m sure there will be.
Read more: Celtic closing in on permanent deal for striker Odsonne Edouard
McFadden, who was working for satellite broadcasters Sky Sports at Hampden on Saturday, felt that Motherwell acquitted themselves well against opponents who became the first to win successive domestic trebles.
“I felt Motherwell did well, I really did,” he said. “I have heard few people say they didn’t turn up. They did. But Celtic did as well. It was always going to be the case that if they did it would be difficult for Motherwell.
“I know it looked better for Motherwell in the second-half, but I think they started brightly,” he said. “They still had chances. Curtis Main had a great chance.
“But Celtic are so far ahead of anybody else that if they fancy it they win. And they have done it every big game domestically. They have always turned up. Unfortunately for Motherwell, they did it again on Saturday.”
McFadden admitted he had been encouraged by how clubs like Motherwell have performed this term. “Celtic are obviously way out in front but the rest of the teams are very competitive – Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Kilmarnock,” he said. Even when you look down at the bottom it was really competitive. It was a brilliant season I think for Scottish football.”
James McFadden was speaking at the Tesco Bank Football Challenge National Festival where 300 children from across Scotland got the chance to play football.
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