Kevin van Veen shouting about goal targets isn't a problem, I wish more strikers would, says Well boss

Kevin van Veen scored his 20th goal of the season in the 3-1 Premiership win over Hibs last weekend and immediately targeted 10 more before the end of the campaign.

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell has absolutely no problem with the Dutchman declaring his ambitious target, and wishes more strikers would.

Kettlewell says there’s too much of a culture of players being afraid of being mocked if they don’t hit those targets, and says neither he nor van Veen are amongst that group.

But on a serious note he says van Veen also knows he needs his team-mates to hit that total, which means everybody is working together.

He said: “Kevin has a real belief in himself, which is great.

“I think we’re often reluctant to pitch our goals and tell people that you feel you’re a good player, and on good form.

“The thing I love about Kevin is that even from the day I came in, he had the belief that he could go beyond 20 goals this season, that was the target.

“But when you listen to him, he always speaks about the team and about how his team-mates help him, of how he feels he can help them.

“I think that’s a great aspect, because it’s not just this individual wanting to try and reach his goal – he know if he can do that it helps the club and his team-mates, but he also realises he needs them to get to that as well.

“But I love the fact that he has pitched out there that he would love to try and break records, and he feels that he can get in and about that, come what may.

“He’s had a good season personally, but I do know he has a burning desire to see if he can push boundaries with those numbers as well.

“When you see the form that he’s in, if we can get service to him, balls in to him in certain areas, then I wouldn’t argue against it.”

Kett