How Paul McGinn proved Motherwell captaincy credentials after training ground whack from team mate

Stevie Frail insists Paul McGinn has already shown he’s got the steel to be Motherwell captain - after he approved a training ground whack from Liam Gordon that left him sidelined.

The defender has been handed the armband following Liam Kelly’s exit but missed the opening two games of the League Cup campaign after pre-season room mate Gordon left him nursing a bruised ankle. Rather than point the finger at the Fir Park new boy though, McGinn held up the former St Johnstone man’s shuddering challenge as an example to the rest of his team mates of how training sessions should be done.

McGinn could return against Clyde today. And Frail said: “Hopefully Paul will be okay having picked up the knock in pre-season in Holland. It was a tackle in training and Paul was the first to say that’s the way we need to be in training. He accepts that. They were actually room mates! Liam has come in and that’s the way he is as a character. It was just a wee coming together! I never even noticed it at the time.

“Paul is a quiet leader but leads by example. What he gives us on the training pitch and in matches is absolutely about leading by example. We ask the players to follow that. He is a voice when he needs to be and players respect that.”

Stephen O’Donnell has deputised with the armband in McGinn’s absence. The defender - who Frail helped bring through as a kid at Celtic 15 years ago - is now one game short of 150 in the claret and amber.

That could come this afternoon against the Bully Wee. And Frail reckons the 32-year-old’s attitude has been top notch ever since he was a kid at Parkhead. He said: “As a coach trying to help educate young players he was fantastic, always willing to listen and learn on and off the pitch.

“I have always