McGhee backs Hall for long run in Motherwell team

Mark McGhee will keep Ben Hall in his Motherwell defence at Celtic Park - and has told the 18-year-old he could be there for the next 500 games.

Hall was handed a surprise debut in central defence on Saturday and impressed so much in a 3-1 victory over Dundee that he earned his place to face the Premiership leaders this weekend.

McGhee said: "There's no secrets about that - he will play. He came in last week because I wanted to see how he could do and he did well enough to stay in the team.

"He might play the next 500 games. If he plays the way he did on Saturday, the likelihood is he will if he doesn't get injured. As far as I'm concerned, he is here to stay."

The Motherwell manager has no qualms about putting the Northern Irishman into the big stage at Parkhead so early in his career.

"It's not so much learning from the game because there will be things in the game that happen every week," he said.

"What he'll learn is about himself. He will learn, 'Can I cope with this? Am I good enough? Where am I in the scheme of things?'

"It will give him a measure of what he's got to do. So it's a fantastic exercise for Ben."

McGhee has also given game time to Hall's fellow academy players Dylan Mackin, Dom Thomas, Chris Cadden, and believes there is real potential in the club's youth ranks.

"I'm very keen that these boys develop and the only way they will develop is if they play," McGhee said.

"He (Hall) may make mistakes - it may be Saturday. He may make a mistake that will be judged to have cost us the game. I doubt it, but it won't matter because in 18 months' time we will have a right good centre-half.

"Whereas if I wait until the summer and see how he is in pre-season then you are then talking about two years. I don't want to wait two years.

"I want these boys coming through the ranks in my team as soon as possible and I want them developed as soon as possible."