Motherwell manager Jim Gannon is determined to ensure his players are ready for the start of the domestic season after their hopes of progressing in Europe were shattered.

Former Stockport boss Gannon admitted his team's hopes of reaching the Europa League main draw are probably over after their 3-0 defeat to Steaua Bucharest on Thursday night.

An own goal from Stephen Craigan was followed by further goals from Banel Nicolita and Bogdan Stancu, and Gannon's visitors could not respond in the third qualifying round first leg.

The 1986 European Cup winners will now look to complete the job against Motherwell next Thursday at the Shyberry Excelsior Stadium, and Gannon accepts his team are probably too far behind to stage a successful comeback.

"I would think so," he told BBC Radio Scotland. "We'll be concentrating on the game and looking to improve the way we play the game.

"It'll be another opportunity for us to improve our fitness and our speed of play going into the SPL season.

"We will get something out of the game, even if it's only just preparation for the forthcoming season."

Gannon's side begin their SPL campaign away to newly-promoted St Johnstone on August 15, and they are unlikely to face many teams in Scotland who play with the fluency of Steaua.

"I'm a great admirer of continental football," Gannon said. "The movement of their players, the technical play and the first-time football was outstanding at times and a real lesson for our players about the different levels of quality between the British game and the continental game."

Referring to British football, Gannon said: "We'll always see the grit, the passion. I just like to see more mobility, fluidity and quality football. And it's up to managers like myself and others in the game who want to be progressive to learn lessons from continental football and try to apply it in our own game."