Kenny Black has been interviewed twice about the manager's job at Motherwell this week.

The latter appointment was held yesterday and was a matter of course, a press conference intended to preview a home match with Ross County giving Black the chance to speak publicly for the first time since he met with the board to discuss taking over permanently.

The focus then was on his thoughts about a role he has performed on an interim basis for the past month but yesterday it would be the questions Black fielded which proved more instructive.

He is a seasoned coach and has been a popular figure around Fir Park since his appointment as assistant to Stuart McCall almost four years ago, particularly among the players. But despite his proximity to events at the club, and its successes under McCall during the previous three seasons, the 51-year-old has remained an outsider in the bid to become the permanent manager.

The process of identifying a successor to McCall has also been complicated by the takeover talks which have been conducted simultaneously, with a resolution understood to be close as supporters group the Well Society have found necessary funding from retired businessman Les Hutchison. The group are reported to favour one-time Motherwell defender Mitchell van der Gaag as manager, while former Sligo Rovers manager Ian Baraclough was also among those who held talks with the club. An appointment could be made by the start of next week.

Both men appear to be preferred to Black, with the coach asked yesterday only if he would be willing to remain at the club to work alongside a new manager. "I'm very open-minded about things," said Black, whose side host the bottom side in the SPFL Premiership this afternoon.

"A lot of things may or may not happen. There are a lot of ifs and buts and with the ownership thing dragging on a little bit, we are where we are. I've buried myself in the work I've had to do, preparing the lads and that. I've enjoyed getting training organised and things like that. I can't pre-empt anything."

Goalkeeper Dan Twardzik was able to anticipate an enquiry about the appointment of a new manager at Motherwell, though. His reaction was typical of a player wary of being drawn on an uncomfortable topic - the Czech muttered that "it's the club's decision what will happen" and that his squad "just need to get on with it" against County this afternoon.

"When it comes to the day of a game it is down to business," added Black. "And that business is getting Motherwell back to a respectable position in the league."

Just how long that will remain his business remains to be seen.