Motherwell boss Graham Alexander: Current injury crisis is the worst I've known in football

Motherwell manager Graham Alexander remains without 14 crocked players, the worst injury crisis he has ever known in his time in football.
Motherwell manager Graham AlexanderMotherwell manager Graham Alexander
Motherwell manager Graham Alexander

Alexander, whose ninth placed side travel to third placed Hibernian on Scottish Premiership duty tomorrow (Saturday), at least revealed some good news when he said that Scotland international centre back Declan Gallagher is back on the training pitch after his recent spell out.

But the Fir Park boss added: "No, I haven’t known an injury list like it. Basically I think last week we had a squad injured, it was frightening really, all senior players.

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"We had six in the squad last week that had one appearance between them and I defy any team not to be affected by that at this level.

"It's something that we try to find answers to. There are all sorts of reasons and we have to dig deep for the detail.

"But certainly we can’t afford that to happen again, certainly not this season and any time going forward. It’s been a concern for us because it's been very abnormal to say the least.

"I think it’s 14 who are injured at the moment so it’s down from last week which is a positive.

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“But it's still a really abnormal number. Even though we’ve only got eight games left we still can't take unnecessary risks with players that if they ome back and drop out again we’ve lost them for the rest of the season.

"We’ve got massive games coming up and we need everyone available so hoefully we’ll keep them as fit as they can be.

“We are slowly getting lads tentatively back out on the grass. But because of the injury situation that we’ve had this whole year, we have to be very careful bringing people back in and making sure that when they do come back in they stay in, as in full-time training.

"So we just have to approach that the right way. It’s good to have good players returning because it only strengthens our case to win games.”

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Young Tyler Magloire – who is on loan from Blackburn Rovers – did well alongside Ricki Lamie in defence for Motherwell in Wednesday night's 0-0 draw at St Mirren, after having a tough time in a 3-0 defeat by St Johnstone last Saturday.

"I thought the back four gelled really quickly (at St Mirren)," Alexander said.

"Tyler coming in as a young player who hadn’t played at this level before, the game against St Johnstone was a baptism of fire shall we say.

"But to respond in the way he did on Wednesday was brilliant.

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"I thought he was really well supported by the boys around him like Ricki Lamie and Stephen O’Donnell coming in was a massive plus for us. And Jake Carroll found the level that he's capable of on Wednesday.

"We knew as a group but also individually we'd let ourselves down massively against St Johnstone and we all had to respond in the right way. And without a doubt we did that and each individual did that. We know what they’re capable of but it’s just the consistency that we need and that’s what we’ll be looking for from now until the end of the season.”

The run-in starts with a visit to Easter Road (3pm KO on Saturday) and Alexander assessed the challenge ahead.

"Hibs are a very good team. Their league position tells you that.

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"I think good individuals, good manager. So it's a great challenge for us, we’re looking forward to it.

"We haven’t had an easy game in the 10 games I’ve been here.

"This is elite professional sport there is no easy games but they all have levels of difficulty.

"And certainly tomorrow will be a very difficult one but what strengthens my confidence is the way our players have responded and shown that we’re a good team when we do the basics well and then our quality will win us the game.”