WHILE the young stars at Motherwell have been grabbing the headlines of late, there is no doubt that their run of six league wins on the bounce has been achieved through a team effort.
One of the most unselfish players within that Motherwell side has been striker Curtis Main, whose efforts against the back three of Hearts were fully appreciated by the Fir Park fans as he was given a late breather after a bruising shift in the win last Sunday.
As a number nine, there is no doubt that Main would love to be getting among the goals a bit more regularly himself though. He has scored just six goals in 30 appearances in all competitions this season with just three of those coming in the Premiership, and while he is happy as long as he is contributing, he concedes it may be time for him to develop more of a selfish streak in front of goal.
“Possibly,” Main said. “The work I do I sometimes occupies two or three defenders and that creates gaps and opportunities for other players.
“Ultimately, I keep playing because the manager is happy as long as someone is putting the ball in the back of the net. If it means someone else is doing it while I’m assisting, then if he’s happy, I’m going to continue to play. From a selfish point of view, I would rather be the one putting the ball in the back of the net, no doubt.
“I just try to do my role to the best I can which is usually occupying defenders, two or three at a time. I’m grinding at the minute!
“If I keep my head down and keep working hard I won’t struggle, the goals and chances will continue to come because they can’t not when you work as hard as I do.
“In terms of forward play things are a lot more fluid in the final third and we’re looking a lot more dangerous home and away, and as a striker that’s pleasing, because it’s in the final third I come alive.”
Main and Motherwell head to Celtic Park on Sunday looking to keep up their remarkable winning run, a prospect that doesn’t seem quite as far-fetched as it may have done around Christmas time.
“It has been quite a dramatic turnaround considering where we were before the winter break,” Main said.
“All of a sudden we’ve propelled ourselves up the table and are looking at the teams above us in the table, rather than below.
“We’ve changed formation and that has played a big part and the personnel has changed a little too. Everything seems freshened and things have clicked.
“The squad at the minute, everyone is fighting for a place. The teams not changed for the last five or six games because the lads have been doing so well.
“You’ve got seven boys sat on the bench and a couple even in the stand who are really chomping at the bit, training hard every day and they know that’s what it’s going to take because at the moment they’re not really getting a look in.
“The young boys have done fantastic. They’ve come out of nowhere.”
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