Snubbed – Jens Berthel Askou

Jens Berthel Askou was left out of PFA Scotland’s Manager of the Year shortlist this week, despite leading Motherwell to one of their strongest results of the season with a 3–2 win over Rangers at Ibrox. The performance highlighted the progress made under his management, yet the final shortlist featured Derek McInnes, John McGlynn and Gary Naysmith.

Askou’s work across the campaign has been significant. Motherwell are positioned to finish fourth in the Premiership and qualify for European competition, driven by a style of play that has brought supporters back to Fir Park. The team set a new club record for clean sheets, defeated Celtic for the first time in thirty five attempts and reached the semi finals of the League Cup. Two of Askou’s players, Tawanda Maswanhise and Elijah Just, were shortlisted for Player of the Year, while five were named in the Team of the Year. The managerial recognition did not follow.

The early part of the season was challenging. Paul McGinn has spoken about the uncertainty within the squad as Askou introduced a more demanding, possession based approach. Results varied and the team conceded avoidable goals while adjusting to the system. McGinn noted that within a few weeks the standard in training improved and the structure became clearer.

Since then, Askou has shaped Motherwell into one of the most organised and progressive sides in the Premiership. His methods have required patience, but the improvement has been consistent and measurable. With matches still to come against Celtic and Hearts, Motherwell will continue to influence the direction of the title race.

The scale of his impact at Motherwell is exactly the sort of detail Celtic cannot afford to ignore.