Motherwell have rival chairmen asking managers the same question after change aligned with Europe's elite

The Steelmen return to Premiership action against Aberdeen on Tuesday night amid a positive start to life under new boss Alfred Johansson. He has continued the possession-heavy approach predecessor Jens Berthel Askou brought to Fir Park as they finished fourth last season.

Askou has since clinched a move to Ligue 1’s Toulouse but assistant Max Rogers has remained in ML1 to work with Johansson. With the likes of St Mirren now deploying a similar style, Rogers feels Motherwell’s achievements in the last 12 months have changed minds within Scotland, playing in a way more aligned with Europe’s elite.

What has Motherwell’s style of play done achieved in Scottish football?

Rogers said: “I know the message or the noise last year was maybe some chairmen said to their coaches 'if Motherwell can do it on the budget then why can't you?' I think to be fair to Craig McLeish at St Mirren, obviously a younger coach with different ideas, he has an opportunity there so fair play to him.

“I think it's been a long time coming to be fair in Scottish football and it's not to say that the way Motherwell play is the right way, it's just a way that is more aligned to the top level in European football, I would argue, than maybe what's traditionally been played in Scotland and England. Alfred is similar to other good managers and coaches I've worked with.

“First and foremost a really good person, enjoyable to be with, asks you a lot of questions, so you feel really involved and you contribute on the training pitch and when we go through things tactically. He's just a good person to be around, demanding and wants to win, which is obviously important as well.

Joe Hodge on signing for Motherwell

"I would say there are similarities to Jens just in terms of at their core they're both good people and they want to help you and they want people to do well. They want to see individuals be successful and they want to do all they can to help the individual and the team be successful. That's the same with the guys and the staff also."

Tasked with carrying out their style is midfielder Joe Hodge, who signed for the club from Tondela last month, and he’s instantly become a regular. The former Manchester City talent insists the brand of football is part of the reason why he’s swapped Portugal for Scotland.

Hodge added: “The club here gave me enough motivation. The fact that they really wanted to sign me really made me want to push hard to come here, especially having spoken to the gaffer and watching the way we play football. I was pushing really hard to try and get here.

“I was pretty adamant that I wanted to come here. For me it wasn't an issue of just coming home for the sake of coming home. I would have happily stayed in Portugal, I would have happily gone to anywhere in Europe where the opportunity was good, but this opportunity here was one that I really wanted to push for.”

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