30th December 2025; Fir Park, Motherwell, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Motherwell versus Celtic; Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou
A video clip of Jens Berthel Askou’s half-time ‘team talk’ away to Monaco has been released by Toulouse.
It has left Celtic fans wondering over what might have been in the Dane had been appointed as manager in the summer.
Virtually on Celtic’s doorstep, a new manager came in to transform a club with detailed recruitment and a firm belief in his ability to impose a very definite style of play.
It worked, in spades.
Motherwell finished fourth but it was the manner of how they achieved that position that impressed most.
They went to Celtic Park and Ibrox and held their own.
Possession based football and complete belief in an aggressive press worked wonders.
Three defenders that had rarely been coveted by others excelled.
Stephen O’Donnell and Paul McGinn were transformed.
THE ASKOU INFLUENCE ON A CELTIC PLAYER
For added significance Stephen Welsh was unrecognisable. In just over a year he has gone from a fringe player at Celtic to having four Scotland caps and playing for the team at the top of the English Championship.
All of this took place in Celtic’s backyard when they were in need of a new manager.
Askou couldn’t have done any more. He attended a few matches at Celtic Park.
Yet for whatever reasons the obvious move didn’t happen.
The impressive Dane was offered the managers job at Toulouse. Not a top club but operating in a top five with his start to life in France very similar to the curve that he took Motherwell on.
Genuinely the most open goal we’ve ever had and we decided between Robbie Keane and MON. Although knowing how some of this squad reacted to Nancy testing their comfort blankets they’d probably have thrown the toys out the pram if Askou told them to man up.
— R??????? (@ReissFerguson) October 13, 2026
That clip is of a 44-year-old Dane speaking English in a very direct form in the dressing room of a French club. That demonstrates belief in his ways and confidence in getting the message to players and impacting on the result. It worked. From 2-0 down at half time Toulouse were level at 2-2 on the hour mark.
We’ve been the pumas. We’ve hunted them and had it right there, and then we let it slip, every time.
The difference between the f****** puma and us is that it doesn’t feel sorry for itself, f****** we do.
We feel sorry for ourselves in there, no one is connecting enough. Everyone is going ‘oh it’s f****** hard today, it’s only Monaco’
F****** man up! Do you want to win? F****** fight! Keep going! I need more! It’s not over!
Later today Martin O’Neill will preview Celtic’s Europa League tie away to Benfica.
Celtic are run by incompetent people. Did you see the Atletico Madrid stadium last night. Just a thought.