A permanent appointment is the club's aim before Motherwell face Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership on 13 August.

Hammell led Motherwell to an opening league win at St Mirren last weekend.

The 40-year-old has already had "a positive meeting" with chairman Jim McMahon and chief executive Alan Burrows as the club seek a successor to Graham Alexander.

"It was mostly about Saturday and where we see things," Hammell said as he prepares for his second match in charge - at home to St Johnstone.

"I don't want it to be anything other than that. We need to perform on Saturday.

"The whole focus this week has just been the game and then we will take it from there. That's genuine."

Apart from an 18-month stint with Southend United, Hammell has spent his entire career at Fir Park and is Motherwell's post-war record appearance holder with 583 games.

Asked what it would mean to be offered the manager's role permanently, the former Scotland full-back stressed his experience of working as head of the academy would stand him in good stead.

"I'm in a senior football position at the club and I'm grateful and privileged to be in the position I am just now," he said.

"If that's to then progress to the first-team manager then fantastic. If that's what the club want and they feel it's the best thing for the club, it's something I am prepared to do."

Motherwell recovered from the Europa Conference League exit to Sligo Rovers that led to Alexander's departure by grinding out victory in Paisley.

"Obviously the squad needs a little bit of tweaking," Hammell added. "The balance isn't quite where it should be, but we need to be more than we showed last Sunday.

"We need to be more of a threat in the final third, we need to be more positive with our running, we need to be a little bit fitter and stronger."