WHATEVER your opinions on Stephen O’Donnell as a footballer – and he has had to face down many a doubter over the years – there can be little argument over his strength of character, something that was evident as his Scotland dreams threatened to turn into a nightmare.

Perhaps it was because of the unfashionable club side where he plied his daily trade, but when the Scots lost out to the Czech Republic in their opening match of Euro 2020 at Hampden after a lacklustre display across the board, it was the right back that rather inexplicably seemed to take the brunt of criticism, becoming a scapegoat for the nation’s burst bubble.

One man who has never doubted him, it seems, is perhaps also the most respected coach in the country at present. And a few days later, against prevailing public opinion, Steve Clarke pitched O’Donnell in once more - at Wembley of all places - against the Auld Enemy.

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He puffed out his chest and put on his best performance in a Scotland jersey, winning over the Tartan Army by looking every inch at home in such company, and taking a special place in their hearts by unceremoniously dumping £100m man Jack Grealish on his finely-honed backside.

In more recent times, O’Donnell has had his doubters once more, and unfortunately for him, some of them have occupied the manager’s office at Fir Park. Indeed, over the last couple of seasons, the man who not so long ago was a regular starter for his country was struggling to nail down a place in the Motherwell team.

In fact, even last season, the emergence of wonderkid Max Johnston curtailed his game-time under the latest Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell, but his departure to Sturm Graz this summer has afforded O’Donnell an opportunity he is determined to seize with both hands.

While O’Donnell readily admits to personal disappointment amid the collective crest of a wave that Motherwell have been riding since Kettlewell’s arrival, he doesn’t have a bad word to say about his new gaffer, consistently touching upon a quality he recognises within him that you sense he hasn’t always felt from his previous bosses – although he is far too polite to explicitly say so. Honesty.

It is a word that could be used to describe O’Donnell, in fact, a good honest professional who a manager can trust, but who is also a better player than some give him credit for.

“It’s been a difficult couple of seasons, but since the manager came it has certainly been a lot easier, mainly because the team has been doing so well,” O’Donnell said.

“When the team is winning, it’s just like when anyone’s job is going well, it’s easier to go in. That’s what it has been like.

“That’s just football, it’s part and parcel of it and everyone needs to face it, it’s just how you try to recover from it.

“The manager has come in and been nothing but brilliant with me, and hopefully I can repay that by playing well.

“If I’m not playing, he seems to be honest enough that he will have no issues with telling you why you’re not playing, which makes a massive difference.

“The manager has been very honest and open with me, and obviously Max did extremely well last season. When he got injured, I came in and when the team needed me, I came on, and I feel he has a level of trust in me.

“I think that’s the starting block of any manager I’ve managed to be successful under, it’s the trust, and hopefully I can continue that with him and repay him for starting the season as first choice by putting in good performances and help the team to get good results.”

O’Donnell, of course, was once the Motherwell captain, but he was stripped of the armband amid a much publicised falling out with former manager Graham Alexander. Deliberately or not, he somewhat pointedly refers to him simply as ‘Alexander’.

In fairness to him, he wasn’t the only one who seemed to have an issue with the ex-Burnley and Scotland man around Fir Park way, in what ultimately became something of an unhappy marriage.

Even minus the armband though, O’Donnell made a conscious effort not to allow his personal acrimony with the manager effect his leadership role within the dressing room.

“I think that was one of the things that was probably the most difficult, and probably the thing I struggled most with at times,” he said.

“I was trying to be a leader in a sense because you try to do everything right, but when you are struggling yourself for form and game-time you can maybe get sidetracked.

“It was a test for me. The last time I wasn’t really playing all the time I was maybe 23 or 24, and I was still playing lots of games, it wasn’t as if I was spending long spells out.

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“That’s the first time I’ve done it and it was difficult, I won’t deny that. I’m just hoping I am out the other end of it, but I’m certainly more resilient now so that if it happens again, I would maybe know the things to do to deal with it.

“I’m very fortunate I have my family round about me so that whenever these things do happen, I’m in a headspace that is far better than I would be if they weren’t about.

“Naturally you speak to your friends, I obviously have some that play, and with this manager coming in I feel as if I’ve been able to be open and honest with him when I wasn’t playing.

“When he relays that honesty back then that’s a good start. We’re grown-ups, and hopefully all these things add up to have a positive impact, and that is what I am hoping is going to be the case for the remainder of the season.”

The early signs, on both a personal and collective level, appear to be good. O’Donnell has impressed in the opening matches of the season as Motherwell have continued in their rich vein of from since Kettlewell’s appointment, belying his 31 years by getting up and down the flank in the right wingback role.

“I like it,” he says with a smile. “But it’s a shift…”

Does he feel then that the regular games are slowly getting him back to the form then that earned him those treasured 26 caps for his country?

“I think it’s early to say that,” he said.

“What I will say is that I have had a very good pre-season, it’s the first pre-season in a long time that I didn’t have any Scotland squads or any trips that would derail your priority. You always have to prioritise the next game, whether that is with Scotland or Motherwell.

“I had a week off and then got back at it, because I know this is a massive year for me, and hopefully that will stand me in good stead to have a good season.

“It’s been a good start through the League Cup and the start of the Premiership under the manager, I’ve had a lot of game-time versus last season, when I had none, for one reason or another.

“It’s been a massive change for me to last pre-season, and I’m just hoping that will stand me in good stead for a good season, but it’s far too early to say. I just hope I can repay the manager as much as possible.”

As O’Donnell references, the reason this is such a massive season for him is that his Motherwell contract expires at the end of it, but he is hoping his performances can earn him the opportunity to finish his career at Fir Park.

“I don’t think I made any secret of it that when I signed the three-year deal under Alexander, I pretty much saw myself playing here until I retired if both parties wanted it,” he said.

“I certainly felt as if I would have wanted it. I hope that’s not changed.

“My impact maybe hasn’t been as I would have liked it to have been, but I still think there have been a lot of positives in amongst that.

“The club's a good fit. I’m a local boy, I stay in Motherwell, so while none of us know what the future is going to hold, I certainly was intending to set up here.

“My kids are going to go to school in Motherwell regardless of what happens with my football, these things are not going to change, so I just hope I’m in a position where I am able to say no to Motherwell rather than Motherwell saying no to me!

“I hope that’s the position, and if that’s the case, it means I’m doing something right, I’ve had a good season, and the manager has had a really positive impact on me.

“It’s been brilliant. From the minute he came in he was honest with players, and I think you get a reaction from that. You know what he is expecting, so you either deliver that or you won’t play.

“He wants a standard in training every day and things that you hope to deliver for him. Thankfully, since he came in, we’ve managed to do that.

“Long may it continue.”

‘Stephen O’Donnell is supporting international school feeding charity, Mary’s Meals’ Move For Meals campaign. The campaign encourages people to turn their moves into meals for hungry children around the world, through walking, running, swimming or playing sports such as football.

‘Mary’s Meals feeds more than 2.4 million hungry children every day in 18 of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of a nutritious meal at school attracts these children into the classroom, where they can gain an education and hope of a brighter future. 

‘Please visit marysmeals.org.uk to find out more.’