Steven Hammell took charge at Motherwell in August 2022 following Graham Alexander's departure on the eve of the season; the Fir Park side are 11th in the Scottish Premiership and without a league win since last October
Tuesday 14 February 2023 13:19, UK
Motherwell are looking for their third manager of the season after sacking Steven Hammell following a 3-1 defeat to Championship side Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup.
Development coach Stuart Kettlewell has taken temporary charge ahead of Wednesday's visit of St Mirren while chairman Jim McMahon and non-executive directors Andrew Wilson, Douglas Dickie and Tom Feely look for a permanent successor.
McMahon described Hammell as "forever a colossus" in the club's history but added: "Unfortunately, due to a number of factors, his time in charge hasn't worked out the way we all really hoped it would.
"Although this decision has been difficult, we feel it is necessary as we look towards the last third of the Premiership season."
The 40-year-old was made interim boss two days before the league campaign started, after Europa Conference League defeat by Sligo Rovers proved the end of Graham Alexander's time in charge.
Hammell won three of his first four matches - as he was officially handed the reigns on a permanent basis - and a 5-0 victory over Ross County on October 4 showcased the attacking football he was implementing.
However, his project was undermined by the team's struggle to get over the line in tight games - they drew five times and lost 10 games by one-goal margins - and an ever-increasing anxiety around home matches.
Motherwell have not recorded three points at Fir Park since August 20 and threw away a two-goal lead against 10-man Kilmarnock before letting another lead slip against Ross County in two recent games against relegation rivals.
A failure to win in the league since October 29 leaves them in 11th, level on points with bottom club Dundee United.
Hammell made nine January signings as he looked to turn the club's fortunes around to ensure they avoid being relegated from the top flight for the first time since 1985.
However, after defeat at Stark's Park on Saturday he faced calls of "you're getting sacked in the morning" from jubilant Raith fans after Esmael Goncalves' debut goal clinched Rovers' place in the quarter-finals.
Some of the Motherwell fans who had not walked out following the 85th-minute clincher joined in the chants.
The club's post-war record appearance holder later left the ground with Kerr without doing any interviews.
Motherwell captain Liam Kelly then faced the media and confessed the squad had "massively" let Hammell down.
"The manager is a really good guy and we have let him down massively," he said. "He has done everything he could for us, absolutely everything he could for us in preparation for the game.
"We have let him down massively. He has been fair to a lot of us who have gone though poor form, he has kept us in the team, and we have failed to deliver for him. Every single one of us.
"I have a really good relationship with the manager. There were no doubts we were playing for him, we were absolutely playing for him. Our confidence is really low as players, when confidence goes it is really difficult to get it back, but there is only way you get it back - by fighting.
"We were absolutely desperate to win the game but we were just not good enough.
"We are absolutely desperate to get it right but confidence is low, it is clear for everyone to see we are really low in confidence. Raith Rovers are the opposite, they came off the back of reaching a cup final and you feel the difference."
Raith Rovers manager Ian Murray spared a thought for Hammell in his post-match news conference following the win against Motherwell.
"I knew Motherwell were fragile of course with where they are in the league," the former Hibernian and Rangers player said.
"I don't really enjoy seeing that if I'm being honest because we have all been there. I feel for Steven as a manager. I played with Steven as a youngster with the Scotland national teams.
"I take no joy in seeing Motherwell where they are to be honest but we all know what football is like, it's very, very fickle. I hope they recover really quickly and pick up points."
Motherwell's season has taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks with a growing injury list and a meek performance against St Johnstone in a 2-0 home defeat followed by a toothless display in a 3-1 loss at Aberdeen.
Sky Sports' Andy Walker says his former club need to get the next appointment right:
"I think the problem you're looking at is a lack of really clear leadership.
"Motherwell have been on the slide for the best part of a year now and I didn't really understand why they gave Graham Alexander a vote of confidence, gave him money to sign players in the last summer window, then before the season kicked off he was sacked.
"They then gave the job to a rookie manager and a club legend in Stevie Hammell and they also backed him in the recent January window. He's brought in nine players then, within two weeks, he's gone.
"I know that management can be brutal, but I'm really hoping that the leadership at Motherwell had already been thinking it might not work out for Stevie Hammell and surely they will have someone in mind to come in and give the team a lift."
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