Alfred Johansson stepped into a tough role at Motherwell after Jens Berthel Askou left for Toulouse. He also faced departures of Elijah Just, Elliot Watt and Calum Ward to Swansea City, Samsunspor and QPR, respectively, yet began with a 2-1 win over Hibernian, following a 5-0 aggregate against HB Torshavn.

At Easter Road, the surgeries showed resilience, with Martin Moormann leading defence and Ibrahim Said scoring the winner. Johansson praised the team’s spirit and the ability to weather storms, noting the commitment of new players who debuted.

Recruitment has been astute, with Moormann and Jake Girdwood-Reich fitting in, alongside proven performers like Said and academy talent Mikey Booth. The club feels like a family, as players express enjoyment of Johansson’s methods.

The next challenge is HJK Helsinki in the Conference League, but the new‑look side has already passed every test.