Kettlewell stepped up from his role in the academy after Steven Hammell was sacked earlier this month.

"Let's not forget where we were not so long ago," he said.

"It wasn't a difficult decision because you look from within and look in the dressing room and the people sitting in front of you. What do you believe they can do and what do you believe you can achieve with them.

"The question is a good one because let's not forget where we were this time last Wednesday morning when we were bottom of the league and nobody gave us a chance and nobody thought Motherwell would survive in the Premiership.

"It's only two games of football and both have been two good games of football at home. We face a different challenge now on Saturday going down to Kilmarnock, where they are very good."

Motherwell, who started the season in European competition under Graham Alexander, had slipped to joint bottom of the Premiership after a terrible run stretching back to October.

Fans endured a Conference League qualifying defeat by Sligo Rovers before Hammell was parachuted in from the academy for a six-month spell in charge.

"I'm not going to make any wild predictions, but this football club has had the opportunity to play in Europe, this football club has on occasion been a top-six club and firmly been in that mix," said Kettlewell, who said an approach for the job was only made after Sunday's victory over Heart of Midlothian.

"I'm not going to shy away from a task. I think it's one of the biggest football clubs in this country. It's right up there. We all know the bracket of Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs, but you look at the achievements of Livingston and St Mirren this season - we want to be in that mix.

"We want to be in that top half of the table and hopefully see if we can achieve some sort of European football and get on that journey.

"Going slightly further back, those bits are all great, but can we be a club that develops and produces players that then becomes that business plan of football?"

Kettlewell first stepped into management in March 2018 alongside Steven Ferguson at Ross County, the pair replacing Owen Coyle but unable to keep the Dingwall club in the Premiership.

They did, however, earn promotion back to the top flight the next campaign by winning the Championship before finishing 10th in the curtailed Covid-19 season.

Kettlewell took sole charge for the 2020-21 season as Ferguson became County's chief executive but was sacked just before Christmas with the team four points adrift at the foot of the Premiership.