Ex-Hearts man answers question on his future after admitting 'I would have booed the players' after bad loss

A former Hearts figure says he would have booed his own players on Saturday as he answered questions surrounding his future.

The race for a top six spot in the Premiership is as tight as ever with every defeat having the potential to prove a costly blow, with Neil Critchley’s men well in the mix. Motherwell are without a manager right now almost three weeks on from the resignation of Stuart Kettlewell and in caretaker charge is former Hearts man Stephen Frail.

He featured for the Jambos as a player in the 90s before returning to the club as a coach for four years, including a stint as interim gaffer. The Fir Park club suffered a 3-0 loss to Ross County in their latest clash on home soil as fans showed their anger. Ronan Hale netted a double before ex-Jambo Connor Randall’s low effort sparked a mass exit and rage from fans.

Frail confirmed post-match after defeat to County that early next week could see white smoke appear from Fir Park. He said when asked if he expected a new boss early next week: “We're hoping so because I think the players need that bit of clarity, they need that.

“He's going to inherit a group of players who are talented, devoid of a bit of confidence but hopefully he can try and galvanise that for what will be a difficult game next week at Tannadice.”

On if there was any clarity around his own future, Frail added that he is due to have an update in the next week. He added: “Not at the minute. It's never been about my future and it's easy to say that, but as I say, the new manager, I know he's coming in with an assistant I'm not sure many people would want me to stay after that performance. I'll know more next week.”

The game leaves Motherwell on a run of one win in 11 games ahead of a trip to Dundee United next weekend. Frail held nothing back on what he thought of the loss to the Staggies, managed by ex-Hearts midfielder Don Cowie. He said on the defeat: “Very poor. Despondent. A group of players and a whole club internally, the coach, the team, everything, just didn't get it right. The players didn't perform. We thought we picked the right team. Maybe we didn't.

“Maybe I didn't. Some of the decision making that we did on the pitch obviously led to what ended up being a really poor performance. Third goal is equally as frustrating. We're high up the pitch and we deliver a cross into the box when there's probably little movement. We could maybe have made another pass to try and look to penetrate. I think that happens when you're devoid of confidence, possibly when you're trying to chase a game.

“There was no momentum in our play. The first goal, they get a little break of the ball, I think it comes off Lennon Miller and it ends up in the lad who finishes it. It didn't look as though we put them under enough pressure to try and get back in the game even at 1-0.

“The players knew since the first day that Stuart left that there was a new manager coming in. They knew that I was only taking it, at least for the Celtic game, possibly for this game. They knew that but I don't think we've done enough collectively. We should be putting on a better performance than that because it wasn't good enough.

“It was far from good enough. You heard the dissenting boos from the stand and to be fair, I would have booed the players and everyone involved with the club this afternoon with a performance like that.”