Stuart Kettlewell relaxed at prospect of Motherwell playing Rangers at Hampden

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell says he has no issue with the prospect of his side playing Rangers at Hampden, saying the team will be playing tough opposition regardless of the venue.

Rangers are closing in on a deal to rent Hampden for the early games of the new season, after a delay in materials for construction work at Ibrox meant their own stadium won’t be ready.

After beginning the league season away against Hearts, Rangers first scheduled home game is against Motherwell and if that is moved to Hampden as expected, Kettlewell says his preparations will be unaffected.

“It doesn’t change anything for me at all,” the Motherwell boss said. “We’re certainly not sitting here firing shots at anyone because of the situation.

“Very simply, on the given date we’ll play away against Rangers. They’re a good side and it’s always a difficult game.

“But we’re going to a place that I know very, very well. Played a lot of games there, certainly in my days at Queen’s Park.

“We’re going to one of the best stadiums in the country, it will be a big crowd and all these different factors involved.

“But I don’t really focus on the surroundings so much, I focus on the pitch.

“So no excuses from our side of it, no change in our mindset or mentality but we’ve got a few hurdles to cross before we get to that one.”

Kettlewell also commented on reports that Rangers had an interest in Motherwell’s young midfielder Lennon Miller, saying that the Scotland Under-211 player was thriving in a place where he is getting to play regularly.

“He has been linked with clubs down south,” he said. “We signed him on a longer term deal for a reason, we got buy in from his family, his agent, Lennon himself.

“He is getting better and better every day and it’s exciting for Motherwell to have such a talent at the football club.

“I think to see someone in Lennon Miller who is 17 and now has just over 40 appearances for us is special. I couple it with the likes of David Watson at Kilmarnock: it’s a breath of fresh air seeing these guys performing to the level they have.

“I am seeing some really good talents in Scottish football and in these two, players given opportunity to play on a weekly basis.”