Keith Lasley has set himself a couple of targets for the season - to help Motherwell finish as high as possible in the SPL and win himself a new deal. Lasley's contracts runs out in the summer and says he is happy to focus all his efforts on his football for now. But, with the Steelmen currently in third place in the SPL, he knows a successful end to the season is more likely to lead to an extended his stay at Fir Park.
Lasley said: "I don't think it's any secret that I would like to stay at the club but there is nothing that's been said yet. I'm just concentrating on my football and trying to progress the team. Hopefully we finish as high as we can and that helps when the negotiations come around. The better we can finish this season, I'm sure the better the budgets are for the manager, as it would be at any club. Sometimes these things really matter, where you finish in the league. I'm not saying there isn't any anxiety. You are always thinking about where you are going to be playing, it's always there in your mind somewhere. But, at this stage, it's just about the football and hoping that side of things takes care of itself. It can work both ways. Some players might feel a bit of anxiety or it might keep others on their toes to try to win a new deal. It depends on the player's character. I'm sure as soon as the club is ready to talk to players, they will."
Manager Stuart McCall is hoping there will be no problems in securing the players he wants to keep on new deals, with Stephen Craigan and Steven Hammell also out of contract at the end of the season. He said: "I won't get involved in the contract situation but I know that Leeann (Dempster, chief executive) will be speaking to their agents. I don't foresee a problem on that score. First and foremost we wanted to get the window over with and that's closed now so we will have a look at certain people. We recently tied up Henrik Ojamaa and young Stewart Carswell and we will be looking at the other lads in the squad as well."
Motherwell visit St Mirren today looking for a fourth successive win. Lasley said: "It's been a good period for us and I think we're getting back to where we were earlier in the season in terms of our performances and hopefully we can carry it on. "Going through a season, there are always going to be times when you don't pick up results or play as well as you want to. We have had that period and hopefully we can move forward again."