We asked the gaffer to get out so we could get it sorted
Smith reveals dressing-room inquest without boss McCulloch has got Killie up for a fight
STEVEN SMITH has revealed how Kilmarnock’s players asked boss Lee McCulloch to leave them alone in the dressing room so they could lay into each other after last week’s Fir Park surrender
There might not have been blood on the walls but there was no shortage of bruised egos as Smith and Co sorted out who was to blame for a start to the season which has seen Killie take just one point out of 15.
The Rugby Park skipper reckons the no-holds-barred session has worked but admits the only way to find out is by judging how those players respond at Aberdeen today.
As he reflected on the sorry 2-0 loss at Motherwell, Smith said: “We had a meeting after the game among the players and the contents of that will remain private.
“But there were a lot of harsh words said to each other and it was taken the right way.
“The manager wasn’t involved in it – he had already said his bit.
“We asked him for five minutes to ourselves afterwards, said a few
EWING GRAHAME
things which needed to be said and we’ll leave it at that.
“It went well – sometimes it can end up in arguments but it went positively and training has been good this week.
“The disappointing thing about last week was when the first goal went in we didn’t fight and scrap. A lot of people looked as if they gave up, myself included. I’ll take responsibility for that as well.
“It’s important to clear the air at times but it can go both ways. Either people can take what’s said on board or they can fall out and not speak to each other again.
“But we did it for a reason. Everyone said their piece, we got it all out in the open and that’s it over.
“I didn’t expect it to be an issue but we have a lot of young players and you never know how they’re going to take it.
“I’ve been that young player and you can either shy away from it or accept it.
“They were given their chance to speak as well so everyone got their points across.
“But it’s all right saying we’ve had this clear–the-air meeting – unless we start getting results then it’s irrelevant.
“The time for talking has stopped and we need to start putting in performances now.
“I believe that if we stick together and work hard we can get a result against Aberdeen.”
Slow starts to previous campaigns have seen Kilmarnock sucked into relegation dogfights.
And Smith insists it’s up to the players to dig themselves out of the hole they’re in.
The former Rangers star said: “I’ve been in football long enough to know players – and players look for excuses. We’ll always look to blame someone else but I think it’s time to start looking in the mirror.
“Forget that it’s our home form because of the pitch or our away form because of this, that or the other. We just have to concentrate, take responsibility, put in performances and work hard for each other.
“That’s the basics of football and that’s what we need to start doing.”
Former Scotland centre-half Gordon Greer is doubtful with the groin injury which saw him subbed at half-time last week.
Greer publicly slated his team-mates for their lack of effort after the Motherwell defeat and boss McCulloch was fine with that.
He said: “I’ve no problem with him coming out and saying it.
“Not trying is a bit of a statement but I wasn’t happy with their body language when we went 2-0 behind.
“It was ‘That’s us beat’ and that’s not me – I’m not that type of person and I don’t want to be portraying that message.
“I want them to go right to the whistle and that is the point Gordon was making.
“The players know what type of character I am. There are no grey areas regarding the way we want to play. It’s about going out there, battling away, working hard and trying to get something from a tough game.”