Stephen Welsh credits Motherwell boss with career transformation after Celtic exit

Former Celtic defender Stephen Welsh has credited Jens Berthel Askou with transforming his career after earning his first Scotland call-up at the age of 26.

Welsh was handed a place in Sebastien Pocognoli’s first Scotland squad, just months after bringing his long association with Celtic to an end.

The centre-back joined Swansea City on a free transfer during the summer and has since helped the Welsh club climb to the top of the English Championship.

However, Welsh believes his career-changing spell came on loan at Motherwell last season, where he worked under Askou before earning his move south and subsequent international recognition.

Speaking to the Daily Record after his Scotland call-up, Welsh said: “Things couldn’t have gone any better. The season I had at Motherwell was brilliant.

“I owe a lot to Jens [Berthel Askou] and the way he got me playing.

“He completely changed the way I play and the way I see football. The way my whole career has panned out over the last 18 months has been amazing.

“I probably wouldn’t be playing in the English Championship now for a top team like Swansea and be getting this Scotland call-up if it hadn’t been for Jens and Motherwell.

“Him being my coach and my manager has had a big impact on me.

“Playing against the likes of Celtic and Rangers, they might spend all the money, but if you set up a team properly and every player knows what he is doing, then you can dominate the games and win them.

“Motherwell probably had the budget of a bottom-six side, but we were going to Ibrox and dominating and the same against Celtic.

“That was all down to Jens, putting proper detail in, trusting players to go and make mistakes. That is how you improve.

“He just simplified things for us. You can see all the moves that the boys (Elijah Just, Calum Ward and Elliot Watt) got over the summer. It is no coincidence.”