Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson keen to play down expectations

Stephen Robinson admits tempering expectations might be one of his biggest tasks ahead of the new Ladbrokes Premiership season after his Motherwell team's flying start in the Betfred Cup.

But the Motherwell manager is enthused about the new campaign after watching his new-look squad hit 13 goals without reply in four matches.

Robinson has signed 10 players and the likes of Jermaine Hylton and Sherwyn Seedorf have given the Motherwell fans lofty ambitions in the league ahead of their opener at Livingston.

Robinson said: I can't wait, really excited. I think we have put together an exciting team.

We have started well and go into the game confident.

There is a freshness, an energy, and it's a really young and enthusiastic squad so it's something to be excited about.''

But he added: I'm excited every season. I'm in a real privileged position to work in the Premiership and manage a club like Motherwell.

I'm excited every year and when that excitement leaves me then I think it's time to leave.''

Robinson admits he will play down fans' expectations.

I do a little bit and I get a little bit of stick for trying to play that down at times, but expectation is the biggest thing to manage in football,'' he said.

Listen, first and foremost we have to stay in the division. That's our primary aim.

Of course, within our changing room and coaching staff we have much bigger aims than that. But we have to temper that slightly.

I don't set real targets. We do within the coaching staff and within the privacy of the dressing room but we don't go shouting our mouth off about what we want to achieve.

We will take it step by step and see where we get to by Christmas time.

We just have to build slowly. We have hit the ground running, the level of opposition will go up now obviously so we are wary of that as well.

But we are confident. It's better winning four games and not conceding any goals than losing them or not qualifying.

We have a young squad so there will be times when it's up and down. There will be runs of games which there always is as Motherwell manager which we have to deal with.'

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