Askou's Motherwell Revolution Seeks to Emulate Bodo/Glimt Success

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou's side is on the brink of securing European qualification and challenging for the Scottish Premiership title.

Askou Sets Ambitious Goals for Motherwell Former Norwich defender Jens Berthel Askou is addressing international members of the Well Society, a 4,000-strong fan ownership group at Motherwell. Askou, 43, has just been asked about the realism of Motherwell emulating the freakish success of Champions League last-16 club Bodo/Glimt or shock 2025 Swedish champions Mjallby. 'If we're brave enough to be extremely consistent with the way we have identified possible advantages against better opponents with more resources, I think it's possible,' he replies. Askou's team was attracting attention with their bold and intense possession-based football, yet their ceiling appeared limited to a top-half push after securing only a second league win in nine matches. ## Askou's Men Confirmed as Kingmakers in the Title Race Seven months on, Motherwell are on the brink of securing European qualification, playing what former Celtic striker Chris Sutton describes as the best football in the UK. That reputation has labelled Askou's men as kingmakers in the Scottish Premiership title race - a billing they lived up to with a stunning win at Rangers two weeks ago. Leaders Hearts and second-placed Celtic are next to visit Lanarkshire, where Motherwell have lost just twice in 16 months, in a five-day spell that could decide the destination of the trophy. ## Askou's Coaching Philosophy and Career Askou's nine-month Premiership journey has felt like a linear path to success, with a European spot in touching distance. That does not apply to his managerial career, although demands have always been sky-high. At Danish club Horsens, where Askou experienced top-flight promotion and relegation, day one of his two-and-a-half-year spell began with him scurrying about with a bin bag because he felt the facilities were not up to standard. Sporting director Niels Erik Sondergaard, who had signed the former Norwich and Millwall defender as a player for Esbjerg a decade earlier, appointed him. 'He felt it was a little bit dirty. He always wanted things clean and organised around him,' Sondergaard tells BBC Scotland, recalling Askou dipping in and out of bushes to collect fast food rubbish. ## Askou's Tinkering and Tactical Acumen Tinkering is something Askou's Motherwell squad have become accustomed to. It has been key to their unpredictability and relentless fitness levels. A shift to a 4-2-4 formation would have earned a result at Tynecastle last month had the team taken their second-half chances. Derek McInnes conceded his Hearts side 'could have been beaten' in all three meetings with Motherwell this season. A fortnight later at Ibrox, the system worked to perfection in a sensational first half. Motherwell cruised into a two-goal lead before their fearlessness helped them snatch a 3-2 victory. ## Askou's Champions League Exposure and Record-Breaking Form Even with that track record, there was still a real air of mystery about Motherwell's appointment of the Dane, who joined alone with no backroom team last June. A revamp of the sports science department and the arrival of assistant coach Max Rogers followed. A club video showed Askou introducing himself to his new players in mockumentary-esque style: intense handshakes and awkward small talk. Later at his media unveiling, he expressed top-six aims while playing attractive football. Those targets have been smashed. Motherwell have broken their clean-sheet record this term and are on course for the second-best defensive record in club history across a 38-game top-flight season. ## Askou's Assistant Roles and Champions League Experience Askou's assistant roles in Prague and at Copenhagen - where he worked at Champions League level - have been integral in shaping him. Discussions with Motherwell took place while he was celebrating a league and cup double in the Danish capital 12 months ago. The Fir Park club had lost ex-Austria Vienna boss Michael Wimmer after 12 games. He was homesick and left to join German third-tier outfit Jahn Regensburg. The former Stuttgart coach had guided the team to top-flight survival while making them fitter and more dominant, providing Askou with something of a platform. ## Askou's Fir Park Transformation and Squad Improvements Talk of a title race while Easter eggs were on the shelves was silly business, but Askou challenged his players to be inspired by Bodo/Glimt's rise in Norway. Form has since dropped off in a gruelling end-of-season schedule, with Motherwell facing top-six opposition in each of their final nine games. However, the selection of five of Askou's players - Calum Ward, Paul McGinn, Elliot Watt, Elijah Just, and Tawanda Maswanhise - in the PFA Premiership team of the year only highlights his staggering body of work. What also continues to boggle the mind is the sight of goalkeeper Ward standing 30 yards from his goal, studs on the ball, inviting pressure. ## Askou's Ambition to Build on This Season's Success The club are determined to ensure that this is not the case and instead want this to be something to build on. 'Hopefully this is the start of something,' says chairman Kyrk Macmillan. 'We were quite clear that we had a model and playing identity we wanted to work to. No matter what happens in the future, it's important we continue that journey.'