MOTHERWELL midfielder Jim O'Brien has backed new boss Jim Gannon to kick off a soccer revolution at Fir Park.

By Chris Jack

MOTHERWELL midfielder Jim O'Brien has backed new boss Jim Gannon to kick off a soccer revolution at Fir Park.

And he has predicted that Gannon's all-new approach will see the Steelmen race out the traps for the start of the new SPL season.

The former Stockport County gaffer took over the Fir Park reins this week from Mark McGhee and wasted no time in ushering new training ground routines.

Republic of Ireland O'Brien cap said: "It's been excellent. He's got ideas that are fresh for us.

"It's a different style and a different way of playing and we're really looking forward to the new season.

"Different managers have ways of setting out their team and the new manager is no different. There is a freshness to the squad and everyone wants to impress."

Gannon has had only a couple of days to familiarise himself with the Motherwell squad before they take on Llanelli in the first qualifying round of the inaugural Europa League tonight.

But O'Brien believes that they will be well prepared for the tie at Airdrie. He said: "He is just trying to get us out of bad habits that we have picked up and get us fresh.

"It's quite hard for the manager coming in, we're just back from the summer break and we've got a European tie.

"But we're working very hard to get back up to match sharpness.

"The manager has got a couple of reports on Llanelli so he'll brief us on that."

One worry for Gannon is the size of the squad that he has inherited.

Key players such as Graeme Smith, Stephen Hughes and David Clarkson have all recently left Fir Park, but 22-year-old O'Brien reckons there is plenty of potential in the Fir Park youth ranks.

He said: "People are maybe panicking a little bit, but they don't realise that we are back earlier.

"For the two European games, this is the squad that we've got so it's maybe a chance for some of the younger boys to make their mark."