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Theo Bair set for ‘shut down’ as Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell talks transfers and future of his star man
Canada international is hot property but won’t be rejoining his Well team mates for the opening games of the season.
Stuart Kettlewell says Theo Bair needs to “shut down” from football for a while – but insists that doesn’t mean his Motherwell career is nearing a close.
The Fir Park hitman has been on Copa America duty with Canada since the end of the domestic season as speculation continues to mount over his future. Well have thrown out two offers for the striker from clubs in Europe’s top five leagues and Kettlewell says there’s been no fresh interest since. But Bair, who hit 15 Premiership goals last season, remains hot property with a year left on his contract in Lanarkshire. His Copa America campaign ends on Sunday when Jesse Marsch’s side face Uruguay in a 3rd/4th play-off.
The 24-year-old will be granted an extended break before joining up with his Well team mates whose season kicks off tomorrow against Edinburgh City in the League Cup. And Kettlewell said: “I’ve spoken to Theo on a regular basis. I’ve just generally been trying to find out how he’s getting on and how he’s enjoying the experience and I know he is. It’s the Copa America. It’s one of the biggest events there is in football. Theo’s out there with a wealth of talent and he’ll be learning from on a daily basis so it’s a great experience for him.
“He’s playing with some top players, guys we see across Europe plying their trade at the top level. And I’ve no doubt with this experience he comes back an even better player with even more knowledge. Just training with that calibre of player will take your levels up. We all would have wanted him to play some minutes on the pitch and try and have some sort of impact. But irrelevant to the minutes on the pitch, you’re training every day, there’s the travel and everything else.
“So he needs a rest now. He needs to shut down for a spell. He needs a recovery to put himself in the best possible place for the new season. We’ve not put a date on him coming back. That one is pretty much open ended.”
Kettlewell confirmed there’s been no fresh bids for the former St Johnstone frontman, adding: “I want him at the football club. We want the best players here and to be as strong as we can be. But when fees are being thrown out there then Motherwell have to sit up and listen.”
The Well boss says he has chosen a new captain following Liam Kelly’s departure to Rangers. But he’s keeping his identity under wraps until closer to the season opener on Saturday. He said: “There’ll be a new club captain and new club vice-captain. Can I say who it is? Not yet. There’s a wee bit of build-up from that side. I’ll do that appropriately in front of the players and the rest of the staff before we go into the first competitive game on Saturday.
