Kirk has his own opinion but I’m in better shape under Alessio
Dom feels fitter with new boss despite Broadfoot’s blast about his methods
Players don’t enjoy Alessio’s training.. it’s so flat with no tempo We didn’t feel fit It’s night and day from and would run on our Clarke’s time.. if I stayed own to stay sharp I’d have given up football
DOM THOMAS revealed his fitness levels have improved under Angelo Alessio despite Kirk Broadfoot’s claim the Italian wasn’t working his Kilmarnock players hard enough.
Former Rugby Park stopper Broadfoot ripped into Alessio’s training methods in a Record Sport exclusive before the veteran sealed a return to St Mirren.
He insisted he had to quit the Ayrshire club with life at Killie “night and day” under the former Italy, Chelsea and Juventus No. 2 compared to Steve Clarke.
The veteran said some team-mates were forced to do extra gym and running sessions on their own to keep fit with Alessio focusing more on shape which had taken the enjoyment out of it.
Former Scotland Under-21 man Thomas doesn’t share that view and says three clean sheets in a row to edge into the Premiership top six shows Killie are improving under Alessio after a disastrous start.
He is adamant the dressing room is united behind the new boss as they prepare to host Paul Heckingbottom’s Hibs side on Saturday.
Thomas had loan spells away from Rugby Park under Clarke while Broadfoot was an integral part and the 23-year-old said: “Kirk has his opinion but mine is training has been good. “I have been enjoying it, working hard and my fitness levels are up. I feel sharp and fit. If we were not fit and ready we wouldn’t be so high in the table. “Kirk might have been loyal to Steve but I can’t speak about him. For me the squad we have is together. We have a good dressing room. “It is a good set-up to be part of and we will do well. There is a togetherness and I enjoy going to my work every day. I don’t really notice that much change. Things are pretty similar. It’s a good group of boys and it’s a happy camp. If you are not together you won’t keep three clean sheets in a row.”
Alessio suffered a horror start to life in the hotseat following a humiliating Europa League exit at the hands of Connah’s Quay Nomads.
But he’s now riding out the storm with improved results and performances.
Thomas, speaking at the launch of the SPFL Match Attax 2019/20 trading card game, netted the only goal against Hamilton to set up a Betfred Cup quarter-final clash against Hibs.
And they held Aberdeen to a scoreless draw before winning at St Johnstone last time out with Thomas admitting it was always going to take time for whoever followed in history-maker Clarke’s footsteps.
He said: “When you do that well and raise the bar that high, realistically it is going to be hard for whoever gets the job to continue that.
“But the boys want to keep raising it again. Our ambition is still to finish third and get into Europe. Hopefully we can work hard to get back there.
“It’s a new era and fans are still behind us. Steve was brilliant at Kilmarnock and is one of the best managers the club has ever had.
“I didn’t play as much as I would have liked under Steve but I still felt I learned a lot from him.
“I probably needed a change and I got one. It is up to me to impress the new manager. We have just come off the back of a win so the spirits are high.
“St Johnstone is a hard place to go but we got a win and another clean sheet. You read a lot about what is going on but we are sitting in the top six.
“When you are in and around the place everything seems fine to me.
“Training has been good and I’m enjoying myself.
“The spirits are high and we are in the top half of the table so things can’t be that bad.”