Motherwell manager Graham Alexander says he and his players ‘need that backing’ from supporters after being booed off the park against Dundee at Dens Park.
The Fir Park club lost 1-0 in the all-Scottish Premiership last 16 tie in the Premier Sports Cup. Lee Ashcroft’s second half header secured the win for Dundee and it could have been more than 1-0 had it not been for Motherwell goalkeeper Liam Kelly.
Fans made their feelings known at full-time and boos rang out as Alexander and his team headed back to the changing rooms. Alexander said: “We are out of the cup and we didn’t play to the levels we expect and work for.
“We were pretty good in the first half without taking the opportunities we got. But we lost our way a bit and fell to a set-piece. Losing the game to that is really disappointing. We want to win games every single week but we know the support gets disappointed when we get beat.
“I wouldn’t expect anything different but it won’t change the way I approach training for next week’s game. The players need that backing, I need that backing, we need that support together, it is not just one way.”
Alexander says he and his Motherwell players need to give fans ‘something’ to shout about after a mixed start to the season. But he can still see positive signs: “We always try to make our fans feel happy by winning games and playing well.
“We know sometimes we let ourselves down, and them, but that’s the challenge we have as a club and me as manager, the players, to make sure we work exceptionally hard this week to make sure next week’s feeling is better than this one.
“I think we need to give them something as well, which I think we have done in the previous couple of games, and for half a game here. We don’t extend those periods for long enough to win the game at the moment.
“This is my first experience with the supporters. I’m getting to know everybody, but there’s frustration in the game, it happens. They pay for their ticket, they’re entitled to their opinion. I’m sure they know how hard we all work at this club to get results.
“If we speak about the players and how young we are, as in the growth of the team, then I think it’s quite obvious to see. We’re in the business of winning games and we have to start doing that. I’ve been in the game a long time to know it doesn’t always go your way. You’re not always going to be popular.”
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