Motherwell boss sets Premiership top-six target as he prepares for debut

Motherwell boss Michael Wimmer says it’s too early to set short-term goals, but the ultimate aim is to get back into the Premiership top six.

German coach Wimmer, 44, took over on Monday but only received his work permit to start training on Tuesday, ahead of Saturday’s visit to Dundee United, when he will make his dug-out debut.

Motherwell were fifth a few weeks ago but have slid down to eighth, in a period that saw boss Stuart Kettlewell quit, claiming fan abuse had affected his family.

Wimmer has been put in place, and the former Austria Wien coach wants to hit the ground running, but says it might take time for his ideas to stick.

He said: “I think it’s important to get my playing style, my ideas, into the club and to find a balance, before the table will split.

“It’s also very important that we are very successful, that we get points, and I want to achieve this and reach the top six.

“If you look at the league table from place four to 11 there are only 11 points, so the table is very tight and everything is possible.

“To talk about the aim I think it’s too early, perhaps we can talk later, after the split.

“The next aim is to implement my game and my idea, slowly, but bring it into the team.

“But the aim is to get in the top six.”

Wimmer added: “I’m convinced that I can implement [my style of play] because I saw the players yesterday in a meeting and training session.

“I think they are very hungry to get the information, in the session they did very well.

“But it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon and it takes time to implement all the things.

“I’m not here to say we have to do this, this and this – it has to work, and if the players are not confident now to do this, we have to adapt this and make it slowly.

“But also