Mark O'Hara: Motherwell FC star's future with club uncertain due to May 31 loan expiry

The impressive midfielder’s loan deal from English outfit Peterborough United expires on May 31, and the current football sabbatical due to the Covid-19 pandemic means that any resumption of the Scottish Premiership before that date looks unlikely.

O’Hara (24), instrumental in helping the Steelmen to third place after 30 league games before the current hiatus, told the Times and Speaker: “I’m well in the dark about my contract situation.

“I’m not actually sure what’s going to happen.

“I think it will be down to the leagues what will happen with loans.

“But the manager (Stephen Robinson) spoke to me a couple of weeks ago to touch base and say they were keen to keep me.

“Obviously I’m very keen to do it. I don’t know financially what sort of hit this is going to give Motherwell.

“As far as I’m aware I’m still a Motherwell player for the time being and I’m really focussed on that.

“Hopefully it can be longer term rather than short term.

“It would be frustrating to go out like this but from what the manager said he’s still hopeful they can get something done.”

Under the current lockdown conditions, O’Hara is training on his own but keeping in touch with team-mates daily via a WhatsApp chat group headed by captain Peter Hartley.

The former Dundee player added: “I think it’s very challenging having to go and run yourself to keep yourself fit.

“But obviously it needs to be done because you don’t know what’s going to happen.

“I’m lifting weights out the back garden and I’m going running every day.

“But it’s more mentally tough than anything else, training yourself rather than being around people and working hard together.

“It’s a different challenge.

“I’m doing an endurance day, a short and sharp day and then football based runs.

“For example I went down to the track and ran four 1200m. It’s so hard and it’s not enjoyable when there isn’t a ball in front of you.

“But I’m mixing it up so I’m doing different runs.

“Not playing football is something very frustrating in a way. It’s the business end of the season and everybody likes being involved with the games being so important and us pushing for Europe.

“I’m missing football just now so however soon we can come back and obviously safety first, I’m looking forward to it.”

O’Hara said that the bizarre circumstances of this season are “mental for more than one reason”.

He added: “Obviously getting into third is a great achievement and something we’d like to solidify.

“We can look back on what a strange season it’s been but hopefully we can get a European place.

“Playing in Europe for Motherwell would be a dream come true, very special. You hope to get into the group stage – which is obviously a different level – and then see what happens.”