Jens Berthel Askou has left Motherwell after delivering a season that returned the club to European football for the first time since 2022, with the Danish manager departing Fir Park to become head coach of French Ligue 1 side Toulouse.
Askou took charge last summer – his tenure officially began on 12 June 2025 – and his single campaign in Lanarkshire proved transformative. The 43-year-old led Motherwell to a fourth-place finish in the Scottish Premiership, securing a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League and ending a three-year absence from continental competition. It was a remarkable turnaround for a club that had finished ninth in the 2023-24 season, when Theo Bair was their top league scorer.
“Grateful is the best word to describe how I feel about my time as a manager of Motherwell FC,” Askou told the club’s website. “This past year has been an amazing journey. The buy-in and support from players, staff, board members, volunteers and supporters have been invaluable for me to lead the development of the club. There have been so many special moments along the way, but the way the season ended with a hard-fought win at Easter Road, leaving the club in a position of chasing European football next season, couldn’t have been written better.”
Askou added: “Special opportunities come rare in football. And you don’t know when they present themselves. So sometimes you have to leave great things behind to create new ones no matter how hard it is.”
Style that caught the eye
The hallmark of Askou’s time at Motherwell was the dynamic, attacking style of football his side played. It was a brand of football rarely seen at the club before and turned the Steelmen into a competitive force that earned widespread admiration across Scottish football. The approach attracted interest from a host of clubs, with Celtic understood to be among those who tracked him. Askou described his spell at Motherwell as his “best year in football.”
A UEFA Pro Licence holder, Askou’s preferred formation is 4-3-3 – though some records list it as 4-2-3-1 – and his tactical approach drew on a varied career. Before arriving in Scotland he had managed in Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Sweden, winning a league and cup double with HB Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands. He also served as assistant coach at AC Sparta Prague and FC Copenhagen, winning another league and cup double with the latter in 2025. His playing days included spells at Norwich City in England, as well as clubs in Turkey and Denmark.
The compensation fee Toulouse agreed with Motherwell secured Askou’s signature, beating off reported interest from Celtic and other unnamed clubs. Toulouse compete in Ligue 1, one of the top five divisions in European football. They finished 10th last season – the same position they currently hold with one game remaining – and Askou will replace Carles Martinez Novell, who has been in charge since July 2023. Novell, a former coach at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, is known for a progressive style built on possession and defensive solidity. Toulouse won the Coupe de France in 2023 and have been promoted from Ligue 2 on three occasions.
Motherwell’s history in European competition stretches back to the 1991–92 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, which they entered after winning the Scottish Cup. Since then they have taken part in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League and the Cup Winners’ Cup. The club has qualified for European tournaments on five previous occasions but has never progressed beyond the playoff or third qualifying round. Their opponents over the years have included teams from Poland, Germany, France and the Faroe Islands.
Chairman’s backing
Motherwell chairman Kyrk Macmillan acknowledged that Askou’s departure had always been a possibility. “When we brought Jens to Motherwell, there was an understanding that if there was success, the club wouldn’t stand in the way of Jens progressing to his next club if it was the correct opportunity at the right time,” Macmillan said. “Toulouse is a club playing in one of the top-five divisions in Europe, and it is an excellent opportunity for him. I hope this move brings him more success. Thank you, Jens.”
