YOU'RE TAKING THE MIK

Stu: Look at Arteta to see what shutting out noise and trusting boss can do. Just four gaffers in hotseat longer than me...?

- FRASER WILSON

HE has only been in the job eight months yet Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell looks around the Premiership and counts just four gaffers who have been in charge longer than him.

In his own words, it's an incredible stat.

But Kettlewell believes the managerial mayhem that has seen trigger-happy club chiefs fire his counterparts in 12 months or less on five occasions recently is a "sad state of affairs".

The 39-year-old points to Arsenal where Gunners chiefs kept their powder dry during the rocky early stages of Mikel Arteta's reign as proof of what can be gained from showing a bit of faith.

Michael Beale's exit from Rangers after just 10 months in the job was the second managerial casualty of the top-flight season.

Predecessor Giovanni van Bronckhorst fared slightly better spending two days over a year in post - before getting the bullet despite leading the Ibrox club to the Europa League Final.