CRAIG BROWN insists the lucky candidate eventually named as the next manager of Motherwell will have landed a "smashing job".

And he believes there is no reason why the new appointment can't lead the struggling Fir Park side in a charge up the Premiership table.

Former Scotland boss Brown took over a demoralised Well squad from Jim Gannon in December, 2009, and, in the space of 12 months, established them as a top-six team.

Now the club is back in the doldrums, with seven defeats in their last eight matches either side of Stuart McCall's resignation at the start of November.

This week the Motherwell board revealed they have a five-man shortlist in place, with interviews due to be held soon.

The club hope to have the new man in charge for the home game against Ross County a week on Saturday, although it is believed that caretaker boss Kenny Black has not applied.

But 74-year-old Brown is adamant that it is a post with huge potential and could present a glorious opportunity for someone to make their mark.

"Motherwell is a club with a proud history, great traditions and a strong heart," he said.

"You are never going to be playing in front of 20,000 fans every week, but there is a good group of supporters there who will respond and turn out when the team is doing well.

"Of the five clubs here with the biggest support - Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs - three of them are in the Championship at present.

"So I think it is realistic to expect to see Motherwell up there and challenging at the top end of the table. I also think that if you look at their squad of players, they have some top professionals.

"I can't speak highly enough of the likes of Keith Lasley. He he is a great professional and a good player who will give his all for the cause.

"I never managed Stephen McManus, but I know him off the pitch and he is another who is a really good guy.

"He is solid, hard-working and another player who can be relied on. Well have a fair few who fall into that category.

"John Sutton has many great attributes and there is a good spine of players still at the club.

"Behind the scenes there are also good people at Motherwell. There is great support for the manager. I really would think there are a lot of people who would bite your hand off for a crack at the job."

PARALLELS can be drawn between the current situation and the one that Brown and his assistant Archie Knox inherited five years ago.

When he first stepped into the Fir Park hotseat the team was in the middle of a dreadful run of results.

But while the current Well squad has remained united, it was different in 2009, when senior players who had fallen foul of Gannon had been sent to train with the youths.

Brown recalled: "When we took over at Motherwell they had lost five games in a row and not won a match in two months.

"The first thing we had to do was get everyone behind us. It was relatively straightforward for us because we knew some of the senior players.

"It was a case of making sure they were all behind a drive to get the club moving forward.

"There is no doubt this Well side should be up there and challenging because they have the players capable of that.

"It is a smashing job and an exciting prospect. If you can go in and get a response, progress can be made very quickly.

"It is unsettling for players and staff when no-one is in charge. You need that stability, but I believe the job will attract a high calibre of manager."