It’s ciao, Angelo. But don’t Killie the messenger
YOU could put the kettle on for the Twitter abuse to arrive in my account on any given Saturday.
It’s normally around 4.45pm after a decent result and the content of the remarks are never complimentary.
The history for this is a column that was written on the back of a Europa League exit to Welsh minnows Connah’s Quay Nomads in July.
The premise was Angelo Alessio should be sacked before any more damage to the Rugby Park club could be done under his guidance.
And so it comes to pass after only 22 games in charge and this isn’t about, “I told you so”.
Information at the time was the Italian was a poor fit, his communication skills such the Killie players couldn’t follow his instruction.
Frustration within the squad was growing and some boys resorted to pounding the streets on their own to try to maintain fitness levels.
It’s taken a few months for the Killie board to act but most people in the know were aware his departure was coming.
Sitting fifth and having won just one of their last eight games was the straw that has broken the camel’s back and it’s now ciao Angelo with assistant Alex Dyer in temporary charge.
The improvement that earned him October’s manager award created a false perception he was now making a fist of a job that in reality for him was the wrong movie.
English lessons seemed to help him through press conferences where he had Massimo Donati by his side but they were at times torturous.
Killie fans may take exception to this but whether you’re from Italy or Irvine, if you can’t get the message through there are consequences.
One Premiership boss described the side’s resurgence after a tumultuous summer as, “Killie are excellent at being rotten”.
It was a way to suggest a side gathering results by good fortune rather than being eye-catching.
So yesterday’s announcement was anything but a shock, just ask St Mirren’s Kirk Broadfoot who was scathing of his experience of Alessio while he was at Killie in the summer.
The bookies will have Livingston boss Gary Holt as the man most likely to take charge after the impressive job he’s done with the Lions.
But you’d be better to keep your cash in your pocket. A self-confessed Killie fan, he was previously denied an interview with the club he loves so it’s a case of once bitten, twice shy on that one.
Hopefully now the Twitter timeline will not have Killie fans in such a hurry to deliver Saturday evening dogs’ abuse as the club have acted out of nothing more than damage limitation even if it’s taken a few months more than anticipated.
All the best to Angelo. To those of the blue and white persuasion in Ayrshire – don’t shoot the messenger.
Some boys resorted to pounding the streets on their own to maintain fitness levels