A MANAGER from Northern Ireland who at the end of a fine season involving two cup finals appearances warns against complacency is hardly a new story in Scottish football.

This is the Brendan Rodgers guide to Celtic’s continued dominance. Enjoy the success and then immediately prepare to go again. It’s a theme which will be repeated in Motherwell this summer.

Stephen Robinson gathered his staff together on Monday morning at Fir Park for a quick look back and long look forward.

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The next derby at Celtic Park will likely see those dressed in blue squeezed into the restricted view area of the stadium.

A seventh place finish plus two successful runs to the domestic cup finals is not a bad return for a club hardly flowing in money and which lost Louis Moult, the top scorer, in January.

The trick now is the improve on what has gone before with only magic beans to work with, and some of them go to two former owners.

Stephen Craigan, part-time BT Sports pundit and full-time Motherwell under-20s coach, is full of admiration for the job Robinson did last season and for the way he wants the club to move onwards and upwards.

“The manager understands where he is budge-wise,” said Craigan. “The key word on Monday was complacent, which we cannot afford to be.

“That is the biggest risk for a team that has just had a decent season. It’s the message he drove home to the staff.

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“He send to us to go away and get a few weeks away but when we come back to have that hunger to improve because the players are going to be looking for the staff to motivate them, to push them on and do something a bit different.

“There will be a few new players in the dressing room but the staff have to come back with renewed vigour so we can really kick on. The manager won’t let anyone rest on their laurels, let’s put it that way."

A problem for Motherwell is that a certain percentage of any transfer fees goes to former custodians John Boyle and Les Hutchison. Both are owed over a million.

Craigan called that a handicap, which it most certainly is, and it does make Robinson’s already testing job a hell of a lot harder.

And he still has to go out and strengthen that squad.

“The key for our manager is he has 12 or 13 players he can really rely on,” said Craigan. “I think he would like to make it 16 or 17. Now whether it’s young players standing up or bringing in guys who can play in the first-team and then you have maybe 17 first-team players in your squad.

"The top five clubs have the biggest five budgets so sometimes you feel as if you’re playing for sixth place.

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“So, an extra 50 grand, any extra revenue, would be helpful to the manager. At what stage the previous owners stop (getting money), I have no idea. Considering the amount we have made in transfers, we are almost handicapped in a way. That’s business, unfortunately.

“The model we have bringing through youth. I think we have had eleven debuts over the last three years from under-20 players. They are not all still at the club but the message is they will get an opportunity at some stage.

“Alan Campbell and Chris Cadden are prime examples. We can’t go and keep making signings. We need five six or players who are 18 to 19 right now who in 18 months have to be first team regulars.

"You don’t get first-team players for £150 a week. But you get young players.”