Jim Gannon has criticised his predecessor as Motherwell manager, Mark McGhee, over speculation that Aberdeen will move for Fir Park winger Jim O'Brien.

McGhee publicly admitted O'Brien was a player who fitted his transfer target criteria after a report claimed the Pittodrie boss would offer him a pre-contract in the new year.

O'Brien, who McGhee signed from Celtic, is out of contract at the end of the season but Gannon claimed it was "inappropriate" for another manager to talk about him.

And Gannon claims it is an unwelcome interference ahead of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League meeting between the teams at Fir Park on Saturday.

"I think it's symptomatic of the poor practice there might be up here, either from the journalist speculating or the manager feeding the journalist," Gannon said.

"I think it's inappropriate for any manager to comment on our players when they are under contract, regardless of the contract situation at the end of the season.

"The players have the right to speak to other clubs from January 1, but not now, and I think it's an undue distraction. Maybe that's what they are trying to achieve.

"I've spoken to Jim, we are both exactly clear on where we both stand and how we get through this period and what we want to achieve in the long term.

"I think Jim will be very focused come Saturday and I think he is looking forward to having a good game against Aberdeen."

McGhee already faces a hot reception from the Fir Park fans after leaving Motherwell in the summer but Gannon hopes he can share a drink with the man he replaced.

"Sometimes managers give their views in confidence to certain people but sometimes they have to be careful about how it gets into the press and not to use the press as a vehicle to get information across," Gannon added.

"Mark is quite friendly with the press. I understand how football works.

"It's no big issue, hopefully it's a good game and hopefully we can share a drink and talk about the positives."

In the longer term, Gannon hopes to persuade 22-year-old O'Brien, a former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, that his immediate future resides in Lanarkshire.

"We spoke to Jim several months ago," Gannon said. "I still see Jim as one of the younger players.

"We've spoken at length to all of the younger players and told them about our futures at the club, what we are trying to achieve and they are buying into it. They want to be part of it.

"Jim O'Brien is at that stage now where he is ambitious and he wants to play high up, perhaps the Championship to perhaps reignite his international ambitions.

"For the moment I think he is happy playing his football, getting on with his job and he hasn't thought too long and hard about next season."

Meanwhile, Gannon has urged Motherwell fans not to repeat the extreme abuse directed towards McGhee when the teams met at Pittodrie in August.

"I don't think, whether it be in football or society, we should tolerate that behaviour and hopefully people behave themselves, and if not, hopefully people take action against them," he said.